Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1922-08-15
END OF SOFT COAL STRIKE EXPECTED,
TODAY'S PROCEDURE mere F0RMALITY;
AGREEMENT DRAWN EARLY THIS MORNING
Only Unforeseen Circumstance May Upset Negotiations Be-
fore Final Sgnne-0hio, Pennsylvania West Virginia,
Indiana Illinois, And MICHIGAN First To Resume
(sy International News seryicel

10y international News SerVicc)
Cleveland, O., Aug 15.-The end
of the coal strike as it affects APP
proximately 60,000,O0O annual tons
in the bituminous fields in ak
states, was expected to come today
when the sub-scale committee and
the policy committee of the United
Mine Workers of AmIica will be
asked to ratify a tentative agree
ment drawn early this morning by
a committee of two union officials
and two operators and submitted to
the sub-scale committee Of both
sides.
While it is possible that some I'M
foreseen circumstance may upset the
negotiations before the final sign
ing Of the agreement, the impress
sion given out was that today's
procedure will be mere Formally.
1920 Wage Scale Basis.
Neither side would state upon
what terms the agreement had been
reached, but it is understood the
wage scale of 1920 is taken as the
basis and the checkoff and other
conditions of that agreement re-
tanned. The only new feature
which the tentative agreement is he
lieved to contain is a provision for
fact-finding commission to investi-
gate the mining industry and make
a report The arbitration clause
contained in the agreement drawn
for the original four state confer
ence is not INCORPORATED in the new
instrument.
The states in which mining opera
tons are expected to be resumed
within a few days as the result of
the making of the present agree
ment are: Ohio; central Pennsyl-
vania West Virginia; Indiana;
Illinois and Michigan, each of these
states being represented in the re-
organized conference which is con
Quoting the present negotiations,
Arbitration Causes Bolt.
The break in the conference,
which has prevented the conference
getting anywhere since last We'd
nesday occurred when three opera
tors, standing out for the incorpor-
alton Of the arbitration provision,
bolted, leaving the conference in the
hands of those willing to yield the
arbitration points which the miners
refused TO surrender.
The conference was re-organized
Immediately with its scope increa5-
ed to include all tonnage willing to
participate
The withdrawal of Michael Gala
CHER, president Of the Pittsburgh
Vein Operators Association; S H.
Robbins and w L. Robinson, presi-
dent and vice president respectively
Of the Youghiogheny and Ohio Goa!
Company, took approximately 49,
600, 900 tons out Of the conference,
which was originally organized with
4G,030,000 tons represented.
The inclusion of outside ton
mage" offset this, and added enough
tonnage to break the total into the
neighborhood of 60000000.
Following withdrawal of Gala
CHER and his associates, a sne1!el
committee composed Of R. L. VIII
dermuth, vice president Of the Lo-
rain and Ohio Coal and Ore Com
pany, and Thomas Watkins, OF the
Pennsylvania Coal Company, inde-
pendent operators, and William
Green, secretary-treasurer, and Phil
ip Murray, first vice president Of
the Mine Workers Union was set
to the task of drawing the agree
ment.
The agreement reached by this
committee is expected to be ratified
today by the full scale committee.