Evening star., 1922-02-19
COAL MINERS VOTE
5DAY PLAN
Renewed Demand Adopted by
Delegates Over Opposition
of All Leaders.
STRIKE THREAT IN POLICY
Proposals Aim to Keep Scale for
Soft Coal Workers and Get In.
crease in Anthracite Field.
By the Associated Press.

os tue associated Press.
INDIANAPOLIS, February Is
Renewal OF the demand Of union coal
miners for 4 six-hour day. nye-dav
week, a proposal that was made be-
fore the 1919 strike, was adopted to.
day by the convention of the United
Mine workers of America as part of
the policy tho union will seek to have
included In new wage agreements, ef-
fective April !. This demand had the
united opposition of the unions lead
ers, including all district presidents
The convention action for the
shorter work day, however. was the
only radical change in the wage
policy proposed by the unions scale
committee. which centered the unions
policy proposals toward retaining
present basic wages for soft coal
miners and gaining increases for
anthracite workers under threat of a
general strike. The strike and wage
proposals by the committee were
adopted by overwhelming votes. The
strike declaration, however, provided
for its submission to a referendum
vote of the union membership before
any walkout is ordered by officials.
Bitter Criticism Of Omcers.
In declaring for the six-hour day,
the delegates overrode the commit
tee recommendation for an eight
hour day underground, and also
voted proposal limiting actual
work time to seven hours a day.
Bitter criticism of the. unions Of
ficers was made by delegates in urg-
ing adoption of the six-hour day.
but several officials took the floor, ap-
pealing for favorable action on the
committees eight-hour demand.
Vice President Philip Murray ask
ed for the defeat of the six-hour day
proposal, so the union "can defend
its demand before the American peo-
ple,". while Fred Mooney. secretary
of the West Virginia district, declar-
ed that adoption of the six-hour day
meant suicide" John Hessler and
Lee Hall, presidents Of the Indiana
and Ohio districts. respectively, also
fought the six-hour proposal. But
the delegates argued that the six
hour proposal meant more continuous
work, and called on the officers to
"carry out our wishes"
Anthracite Status Uncertain.
Whether the. six-hour day demand
was an unanswered question raised
from the floor by a delegate. who
pointed out that the anthracite work
ers were not pressing the proposal.
President John L. Lewis, replying to
the question, said he was unable to
advise the delegate as to the slx-hour
day as affecting anthracite workers.
Aside from the action of the six
hour day, the delegates also recorded
an intention to stiffen Up some OF
the minor demands recommended by
the scale committee by substituting
demand" for "recc where i,
appeared in the committee report.
Other Demands Adopted.
Besides the workday and wage
proposals adopted by the convention
its other demands, as adopted. in
cluded the following:
Removal Of "ineQuitable differen-
tials" in wages, which would result
in increased wages in some fields
pay and one-half for overtime work
double pay for Sunday and holiday
work; elimination of the automatic
penalty clause of present agree
ments providing for fining miners OF
operators for violation of contracts
aud all new contracts to obtain fol
/ - ..a,s. hArinning next April i.