New-York tribune., 1922-02-14
Statement Issued OH Eve
of indianapolis Convcn-
tion Understood to Con.
vey Hint of Cancellation
Bitu1ninous WAGE
Increase Dropped
Decision TO Ask for Pres.
ent Scale Designed to
Win Support of Public
Nroas q Ntar Correano,dcn.

lNDlANAPOLlS. Feb. J3.-Dclegates
o. The United Mine Workers of Amcr-
ica, numbering more than 200. TO-
morrow open haro their tvcnty-eirhti.
convention, to decide whether there
Will be peace Or -var il tho nations
coal industry.
II connection with tho assembly
John l.. Lewis, president % tho mine
worEera: issued this statement:
"Ihc United Mine Workers do not
desire strike. We propose to do
cveryth'ng possible in q proper way to
prevent such nn occurrence. feel
sure when the convention has finished
It's work the public Will realize this
fact."
Whether .hls is an indication that
tho miners are willing to meet the
operators little moro than half Way
in the matter Of cndcavoring 10 reach
aA aUlcablc adjustment Of their differ
ences when tAe agreement expires
March 81. even 10 the point CT malj,ns
some concession in their dcJnauds.
could not be definitely learned, bnt The
s'atcincnC VAS regarded as pointing
10 tao mGIntcnancc OF temperate
s?'I't throughout the convention.
which is expected to last until Sacur-
1cy. ''' ''' ''' VIZ
Sceh Alliance as Chicago
Iacn Mr. Lewis ard tho othcr union
leads VIII ro to Chicago for the meet
iing on February y With the railroad
oTorAcrhood chiefs. at which it is
planned to effect some sort Of an "u.i
dcrstandlng,' with the hope OF an all-
Rncc between the two union intcrests
Delegates rcorcscntinr thc miners also
VII take pat in The railroad union
farm rmerSocialist conference in Chicago,
"hich will begin on February 20.
Late to-day the unions wage scale
colnlnittec completed its report and the
formulation OF the bituminous mine
vorhers' demands. Although it was tc-
cldcd 70 keep these secret, pending
their su ubnisaion to the convention for
ratification, there were persistent re-
ports among the delegates that The con-
:cDl:ons for an increase for the soft
cosl workers woTo virtually cast into
thc discard.
Instead. tl1crc TOW is strong belief
ihat the hitlminous miners will ask
Tor continuation OF tie present
acalcs. which call for from $t.0S 10 Sill
+ ton in the central competitive field
and $3.50 day for day workers, main
tenancc Of the checs-oiF sygten snd fcr
co0tinuation Of collective bargaining
throughout the industry. Holders ot
this belief pointed 90 The Lewis state
1ne1t as strongly tending 10 bear tn EN-
out. Il was rcpovted chat The COM
Nlittec also recommended that failure
Of TIC operators to meet these dc
mands should result in the calling Of
the first general strike in the coal in
dustry on april j, when all The rresont
agreements viii have expired.
Hard Coal Demands Stand
The demands Of the anthracite min
ers, who seek an increase, were left
untouched rs the committee, aud prob
ably will be ratified by the convention
as formulated, 4 practice which has
been customary for many gears.
Aisny OF tho delegates regard the re-
ported receding OF The soft coal miners
from demands for an increase az d
iar-si ghtcd stroke Of diplomacy, assert
;ng that ii viii be sure to gain the
sympathy OF the public and place Inc
burden o. popular condemnation Tor
strike on the operators in the event
one is called.
One development Of the day was tao
proposal by an on~cia! of one Of the
b luminous operators assoc iations ror
the institution Of sliding scale in
the industry. This was regarded BY
tire delegates as worthy of considera-
tion, chiefly as showing some of the
operators as more willing to aid II
paving the way for conferences with
the miners than they have been for
several weeks.
Problems in the production OF ar-
chracitc differ from thosc in the btu
1ni.ouS fields
Tho anthracite workers are nearly
100 pcr cent organized, according TO
union statistics, which give their num-
bor as 3l,0r9. Their worl. is CON-
paratively STEADY, which MAKES their
annual earnings greater per c@2ita
than these Of thc bitumnous miners
although taeir wages are lower. Be
cause o. their railroud connections
thc anthracite mines are assured OF
better car suppl,- than are the btu
ln:acuS mi7ce.
Every year Tor the at twenty
year9-since the tirstand last anthracite
Continued on ps1e four