The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-09-06
COMMITTEE
WORK ON SUNDAY
Breaks Precedent in Order to Get
Quick Action-Approval by Con-
vention of Miners Expected With
out Difficulty Meeting Called.

out Difficulty meeting Salleo.
Philadelphia, Sept. 4.-Anthracite
miners and operators having settled
their wage differences after more
than five months of controversy,
every effort will be made to start
production of coal as oon as possible
The scale committee, summoned early
today, went into session here tonight
to consider and approve the agree.
ment reached at midnight last night
and to call a delegate convention OF
miners at WilkesIBarre this week to
ratify the pact formally.
1t was the first time in the history
of anthracite wage negotiations that
miners have met on a Sunday, the
precedent being broken in order to
iget quick action. Leaders expressed
the opinion that the hard coal mines
would be in operation by the first of
next week and that normal produc-
ton would be quickly reached.
The production is estimated at
about 4O,OOO,000 behind last year.
The settlement announced by Unit
ed States Senators Pepper and Reed
of Pennsylvania came after an all
day session of the operators, which
resulted in their accepting the COM
promise proposed by the senators and
a three hour joint session of miners
and operators. In the joint confer
ence the miners also accepted the
proposition and an agreement made
subject to the action of the miners
convention, it was added, such being
the rule Of the United Mine Workers.
The terms of the agreement as an
nounced are as follows:
"The contract in force March 81
1922, to be extended to August 81,
1928.
"The production of coal to begin
at once.
"The miners and operators to join
in a recommendation to congress that
Legislation be forthwith enacted
creating a separate anthracite coal
commission with authority to inves,
tigate and report promptly on every
phase of the industry.
"The continuance of production af-
ter the extension date to be upon
such terms as the parties may agree
upon in the light of the report OF
the commission"
Coupled with the announcement
was a letter addressed to the miners
and operators by President Harding
in which he urged both sides in the
name of public welfare to accede tc
the proposal that had been advocated
by Senators Pepper and Reed.
Members of the scale committee
arrived here today without any def
mite knowledge of the final agree
ment. This was due to the fact thai
the announcement of the settlement
was made so late last night that the
information did not reach them be-
fore they left for the city. The agree
lment met with the general approva
of most of the committeeman and nc
difficulty was anticipated by them ir
having the convention ratify thu
new pact.
After the agreement is finally ap
proved operators and miners will
meet and formally sign. a contract
The date of the expiration of thu
new contract is rather an odd n a.
viewed by the mine workers.. Here
tofore all contracts have expired OF
March 81, which in the coal industr!
is the end of the coal year wher
coal contracts between producers ant
large consumers generally expire
It is also the shortest contract pro
posed since the operators have beer
dealing with the United Mine Work
ers of America.