The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-29
ONLY MIRACLE
CAN AVERT COAL
MINERS STRIKE
HaN
Nothing But a Miracle
and Immediate Accept
ance To Nineteen De-
mands Can Keep Coal
Miners From Striking
April First-May I'm
port British Soft Coal

New York, March 29.-(By the AS
sociated Press. )-Casting aside as a
remote" possibility, the prospect OF
settling their differences in time tc
avert the general strike set for three
days hence, members of the anthra
cite subcommittee on wage contract
negotions today girded themselves for
a long, hard struggle over the min
ers' 10 demands.
Nothing but miracle-the immed
late acceptance of each and every
one of our demands-can avert the
strike now," said Thomas Kennedy
district president of the United Mine
workers.
Under the present circumstances il
is probable that the suspension will
go into effect April l, according to the
miners program" said s. d. Warrin-
er, vice president of the Lehigh Coal
and Navigation Company.
Although sanguine of the ultimate
success of the negotiations now in
progress the six other members of the
Anthracite subcommittee, composed
Of union chiefs and mine operators.
were convinced that the mines would
Dc cNdCudlCu
Phillip Murray, vice president of
the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, scouts the report that Importation
Of British mined soft coal will lessen
the danger of a bituminous coal short
age and thereby hurt the cause of
the miners in the forthcoming strike.
I'VE are not afraid of the British
coal" he said. ut has been imported
before without seriously affecting the
mining industry or the market in
America.
A do not thing movement on the
part of the United States Shippind
Board to import foreign coal would
have the sympathy of the public and
thereby create sentiment against the
strike, but the actual effect toward
prevention of a shortage or extension
of the available supply would be neg
lible
Compared with the weekly produc-
ton of the American mines and the
weekly consumption by American in
dustries, all the coal that could be
brought from England would not
amount to drop in the bucket"
AS the wage negotiations proceed
the miners are becoming more and
more determined that the next con-
tract shall contain an inviolable pro-
vision for installation of the check
off system in all anthracite mines.
one member of the committee of
eight declared that, unless such pro-
vision was made all negotiations to-
ward termination of the impending
strike would amount to nothing.
Mr. Warriner of the operators dis
missed the question of the miners
demands for the check-off with the
statement that 1T has come I'm in
every wage conference in the last 90
years; We do not attach any more
slgnlncance on this occasion than we
nave in the past" he said.
The miners assert that the check.
on already is applied by the operators
In the collection of rents, light. water
and fuel assessments by aubtracting
the amounts from the workers nav
envelope. They seek to have this svs-
rem extended to the collection of
dues, asserting that it already is com.
mon practice in the bituminous fields
and has been declared legal by the
United States supreme court.
indianapolis. Ind, March 29-(Bv
Associated Press)-Great coal strikes
such as the country is now facing
nave been few although for seventy.
i've years the coal industry had been
marked by almost numberless state.
wide and localized strikes, often in.
volving several thousands of workers
All OF the big strikes have continued
more than a month, the longest hav-
ing been that of 1902 in the anthra-
cite industry which continued for %
weeks.
The big strikes, five in number.
are summarized as follows:
1884. First general strike in the
soft coal industry. called by the
United Mine Workers of America.
the purpose being to restore wage
scales that had been decreased dur.
ing the panic of 80; 100000 to 16O-
600 men engaged and militia called
out in four states; first attempt at
compromise failed, but second con.
ference OF miners and operators end
ed with adoption of scale agree.
ment.
1897, July 4th walkout of $50 900
miners. called by d. M. Ratchford.
president of the U. w. OF A., to de-
r'ete an overstocked market of coal.
which union officials feared, would
result in wage reductions on account
Of the slow coal trade; strike was
called off after twelve weeks dura.
tion, at the end OF which the market
had been depleted; first successful
etrile OF the U. M. w. OF A.
1900 Anthracite strike in Septem-
lcontinped o. pare d