The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-04
INDEPENDENT MINE COMP PANIES WOULD
 GRANT 19 DEMANDS
Breach in Ranks of Organized Mine Owners Denied by Members of Anthracite
 Operators Association
By Associated Press

New York, April 3.-Union leaders claimed the first victory for the striking anthracite miners here to- day when they announced several independent companies had offered to grant all of the 19 wage demands if the men would return to their jobs immediately.
 , The offer was first made by Will liam Peek, president of the Grove Hill Mining company of peekvlle, Pa.. who came to New York for the purpose. according to William J. Brennan of Scranton, Pa, president of the United Mine Workers of America in district No. i. Ii was fol- lowed, he said by similar offers from other small independent mine operators in the Scranton area.
 That this siEnified a breach in the ranks of organized mine owners was denied by members of the Anthracite Operators association. They branded owners who had made such offers as "independent operators of wagon mines whose production was neg ligible factor in the outcome of tho strike.'
 The Grove Hill company is not even affiliated with the organization of Independent operators, they said.
 To Have No Effect
 such offers will not win the strike and will have no effect on the stand for a reduetion in wages. taken by the operators association" said W. w. Englis, president of the Glen Alden Coal company of Scranton and a member of the miners and opera tors subcommittee on wage contracts negotiations.
 Union leaders were optimistic. however. According to Philip Murry vice president of the United Mine Workers International organ ization "the willingness of these smaller operators to continue produe- ton on basis of higher wages to the miners is ample proof that there is no reason why big operators em- ploying thousands of men should e. fuse to aeeede to our demands.s This, the third day of the strike l which began April i, was one ol charges and counter charges. foi I which business of the wage contracl negotiations committee virtually waA suspended.
 , Operators charged. that union pick cts bearing strike literature were in- vadins nonunion bituminous fields oi Pennsylvania and exhorting worknlgn to lay down their tools.
 To this district leaders reu3rted that I. W. W. were. being circulated In strike sections calling on union men to join the I. W. W. one big union.
 Who Pays |. ". Wi
 TT these men are being paid for
  are the money must be coming from the pockets of the operators" de- clared Thomas Kennedy, president of district number [. II was evidently an attempt of the mine owners to disrupt the morale of the strikers. he said.
 Charges that several of the larger anthracite operators were violating | provisions of the suspension agree ment today brought threats from district labor chiefs that they would withdraw the men assigned to pro tect mine property during the shut down.
 The charges were made by Mr Kennedy of district number T. at i Hazleton, C. J. Golden, president of | district number and Mr. Brennan of district numbr, . Operators were discharGine upiUn men left on duty as pumpmen, engineers, firemen. s;A. blemen and substituting nonunion foremen and clerks, it was asserted in direct violation of an agreement of last week.
 Unless the operators live up 10 their agreement and cease replacing cur men We will take them out of the mines. regardless of the eonse- quences," said MT. Gorden. He ex- Al. would experience difficulty fin re- cruiting nonunion crews to keen ino mines from being flooded during the strike.