Evening star., 1923-07-10
MINE PAY PAR[EY
At ODDS OVER j. S.
HARDCOAL REPORT
Both Sides See Vindication in
Documentary ProIong
Negotiations.
MEN REFUSE TO PLEDGE
NOT TO STRIKE SEPT. |
Operators Proposal for Retroactive
Agreement Rejected-Begin
Concrete Discussions.
ny ROBERT T. SMALL.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., July 10
The report on the coal industry so la
boriously prepared by the United
States Coal Commission is about to be
scrapped by the first conference Of
miners and operators held since its
publication. So many controversial
points have been discovered in the
document that its introduction into
the negotiations being conducted here
for an agreement in the anthracite
elds is likely to prolong rather than
facilitate the work OF the conferees-
Already Sam II. Warriner. president
of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation
Company, representing the operators,
has sought to show from the report
that the wages paid and the living
ePe IN Kee5n in fhs ttn 4he be eannTiy
can standards of living.
Lewis Calls Pay Too Low.
John L. Lewis, national president of
the United Mine Workers of America
has sought TO show from the same re-
thracite industry are inadequate and
have failed 10 attract to the mines a
sufficient amount of labor needed to
increase the output of hard coal.
From one table in the report Mr..
Lewis has sought to show that not
more than 10000 of the 155, 900 miners
in the enthracite field have made in
excess of $4,000 in any one year of
work. Mr.. Warriner fatty has said
that the table contains no such state
ment of facts.
The mine owners are endeavoring
to get the miners to agree to continue
work after September even IL an
agreement has not been reached by
that time. They say that the public
is apprehensive as to the coming win
ter and that both President Harding
and the ccal commission have urged
that under no circumstances should
there be a suspension of work.
Agreement Retroactive.
The mine owners have said that any
agreements reached after September
would be made retroactive to that
date. and the miners, therefore, would
lose nothing by continuing to produce
coal for the benefit of the public
The miners take the position that
there Is no reason why full agree
ment should not be reached by Au-
gust 81 and refuse to agree at the
outset of the negotiations TO aban-
DON the right to strike In the fall.
They say the best way to reassure
the public is to reach an agreement
and not to postpone 1t indefinitely.
What the people want to know is
the price they are going to have to
pay for COAL" say the miners.
SoHcitous for Public.
Mr.. Warriner, in behalf OF the op-
orators, has sought strenuously to
show that the mine owners have the
public interest solely at heart and
are apprehensive that the failure of
the miners to agree in advance not
to walk out on September 1 will have
an unfortunate effect upon the pub
lie mind. He has finally won a hot
retort from President Lewis
You operators" Lewis exclaimed
"are not the sole custodians of the
pubic welfare. You can't be more
concerned in the public interest than
I'VE are"
And thus while the public. the most
interested party, has no official rep
reaentatives at the present parleys
both tie operators and the miners
arc claiming to be actuated only by
the public veal.
Copyright. 1921
TEGoTIAToRs ARE NAMED.