Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-14

The expected fight over the status Of
Howat failed 20 materiallzs fhen the
Administration provisional govern
ment" delegates from the Kansas district
were seated. Howat and soma hundred
odd Of his followers were not permitted
to take seats on the convention floor,
but no protest was made. That todays
session ended without a clash was not
considered by union officials, however, as
ending the probability OF fireworks,
PROGRAM CALLS FOR
PRESENT BASIS.
Executing an about-fncs on their de-
mand for increased wages for bitumlnous
and miners OF the country, officials Of
the United Mine Workers. through the
union scale committee, presented TO the
miners convention a program insisting
that the present basic wage schedule be
continued and setting forth certain work
ing conditions to be demanded.
The scale committees report provides
that amy scale negotiated must be sub
mitted to a referendum vote Of the mem
bership affected for approval before It
is finally accepted" 1t also provides
that in event no agreement Is reached
prior to April II, when the present agree
meut expires in both the anthracite aud
bitumlnous coal fields, 1--WE declare in
favor of a general suspension Of min
ing operations, such action being subject
to a referendum vote of the membership
Of the United Mine Workers, such ref
erpndum to be held prior to March 81"
The referendum Is a new phase Of the
situation, the convention heretofore hay
ing exercised supreme authority both as
to wages and strikes.
The present standard of miners wnges
is inadequate the committee declared, eX-
pressing the belief that ''we do not be-
lieve the public asks that it's fuel needs
supplied Mt the expense OF a degraded
citizenship accompanied by human mis-
cry, starvation and want"
we therefore," reads the report, "de-
clare in the most emphatic manner our
opposition to any reduction In mining
prices and insist that the present basic
wage schedules be maintained"
PROVIDES FOR
ADJUSTMENTS.
The committee recommended that In
equitable differentials within and between
districts, unfair working conditions and
internal differences wherever existing, be
adjusted upon d fair and satisfactory
basis and the joint conferences in the
respective districts be empowered to
make such adjustments. Besides these
conditions, the committee recommended:
THAT all new agreements be based
upon the eight-hour day underground, be-
cause Of mining hazards"
That overtime be paid at the rate
of time and one-half with double time on
Sundays and holidays.
That best Efforts be made to OBJ
tain weekly pay.
That the automatic penalty clauses be
eliminated from wage agreements.
That the convention ratify the anthra-
cite miners wage demands and pledge
"our power and influence in aiding them
to the fullillment of their demands"
That the next wage scale cover a
period of two years
No mention Is made of the check-oT
system, because renewal of the present
contract carries with it this method
of collecting miners union dues.
Miners leaders explain their reversal
Of position, which, If the convention
backs them up, is expected to go far
toward dissipating the strike clouds
which now loom ominously, with the as
sertion that they certainly DO not want
to offend the public"
They confess the growing conviction
that the miners ultimately would find
Continued On PaBe E.U.)