Cheyenne Wells record. (Cheyenne Wells, Cheyenne County, Colo.) 1???-1969, 1922-08-17
OPERATORS AND UNION SIGN
CONTRACT FOR NEW PAY SCALE
FRAMED BY COMMITTEE.
OLD SYSTEM IS BROKEN
TERMS OF SETTLEMENT sHEAh
OLD SYSTEM OF COLLECTIVE
WAGE ADJUSTMENT.

Clayeland-The soft coal strlke -
broken and an agreement mas peen
signed between the United Mine WORK
ers and operators. controlling an an
nual output of GO0O0OOO tons. inc
signing of the contract Will actuaiiy
end the strike in part. All detalis Oh
the agreement were accepted in princi-
ple BY both miners and operators, and
the actual draft of the contract was
left to a subcommittee.
AS a result of the progress made Dy
operators and miners, Gov. Harry L.
Davis of Ohio announced he would
call off the conference Of governors
of five coal producing states that was
to have met in Cleveland to consider
the strike situation. He also an
nounced that he would withdraw Ohio
mIlItiamen who were sent into the coal
fields recently.
No exact estimate of the number OF
| miners who will be put back to WORK
| under the settlement was Obtainable,
but varied between GO,OOO and 10000
men, Altogether there are 100000 soft
coal miners on strike, union officials
said. 1t is expected by them that the
other operators will accept the settle
ment effected at Clevelande, but mean
while the strike will continue at their
mines.
| The terms Of the settlement mark .
breakdown in the system of collective
bargaining that has grown up In the
soft coal industry since 1884. 1t means
the abandonment for the present at
least Of the central competitive field.
comprising western Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, as the
basis for fixing wages in fields out.
side the four states. In the past
wage contracts have been made for
the central field. and those Of outlying
districts have been fixed on the cen.
tral field scale.
This is. not the first time, however,
that the wage-making machinery on
the central field basis has broken
down. 1t failed In 1906. and was not
fully re-established until 1910.
The new plan of settlement Is a
fundamental change In the policy Of
the United Mine Workers Of America
and for that reason the union policy
committee of 1913 members was called
to pass on 1t.
Withdrawal Of soft coal operators
controlling an annual output various
Iy estimated ut from 100000 to 15,-
100000 tons from the joint wage con-
ference because Of the miners refusal
to accede to demand for arbitration
to settle future disputes did not dis
rupt the conference.
The split In the conference came
during sessions Of the subscale com.
mittee. For three days Mr.. Gallagher,
president Of the Pittsburg Vein Oper-
atOrs' Association of Ohio, supporting
n demand for compulsory arbitration
and President John l.. Lewis OF the
miners, who was unalterably opposed
to the demand, had been unable to
reach an agreement. All provisions
except this one, had been agreed to
by them. but all the work was covered
i
of new operators being called into the
conference.
elphia.-Pr0spects of peace In
the anthracite coal mines of Pennsyl-
vania appear brighter now than at any
time since the suspension became ef-
fe"tive on April 1, rendering idle ap-
prollmately 10000 men.
Negotiations between the operators
and repi iesentatives of the miners,
broken off June IA when the mine
owners arbitration proposal was re-
)ecfed. Will be resumed and the concll.
iatory tone Of messages between Sam.
uel u. Warmer, head Of the OPERATOR
negotiating committee, and John l..
Lewis president of the United Mine
workers, arranging the conference
was said by those In close touch with
the situation to presage an early ret
tiement of the difficulties.