Evening star., 1923-11-08
B|TUM|NOUS CRISIS
DUE FIRST OF YEAR
Operators to Fight Check-Off
and Pay Raise in Renew
ina Labor Contract.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

AS 1923 draws to a close the specter
Of another crisis in the national coal
industry, this time In the bituminouS
fields, begins to loom on the horizon.
1t may be an Influential factor in the
presidential election of 1924. There
are indication, according to bitumi-
nous operators, that the United Mine
Workers will come forward In jan
uary or February with demand for
90 per cent increase in wages. BIZ
luminous wages in the uniontzed
fields (the so-called competitive"
areas of western Pennsylvania, Ohio.
Indiana and Illinois) are already at
peak figures. The basic wage is
$3.50 a day. while men who work on
the tonnage" scheme earn $3.50
day. The operators are in mood to
resist sternly any wage revision de-
signed to increase the cost of produc-
tion beyond it's already alleged pro
hibitive" level. There is every sign
of another protracted struggle, such
as ended, after a five-month contest
in 1922. with the Cleveland agree
ment. This agreement expires on
April l. 1924 1t is for its renewal on
improved terms that the mine work
ers are said to be girding for battle
early in the new year
On Brink Of Ruin.
According to bituminous' operators
spokesmen, their business is already
on the verge of disaster, owing to
general trade conditions. Hundreds
of mines have had to shut down, ow-
ing to curtailment of orders by BIZ
luminous consumers, and tens of
thousands of miners have been out
of work for many weeks. From a va
riety of directions the bituminous in
dustry finds itself assailed by new
factors. The fuel oil competition is
intense and growing. Two middle
western mines that used to sell rail-
road 100000 tons of coal year have
lost that business entirely because
the road now burns only fuel oil.
That is typical but not an isolated
instance.
Bituminous producers hope some
what to counteract loss of old trade
by campaign of education in the use
of bituminous coal for household pur-
poses. Propaganda of that sort is
shortly to be launched in New Eng
land, which will be shown that BIZ
luminous can easily be utilized for
ordinary heating purposes, without
much change of apparatus. and pur-
chased at 81 to SIS ton less than
anthracite.
Renewal of Contract.
Under the terms of the Cleveland
agreement between the competitive
fields and the United Mine Workers,
effected in January, 1923, the miners
must, before January s. 1924 give
notice whether they intend confer
ring for a pro1ongation of their con-
tract with the operators. The opera
tors expectation is that the confer
ence will be sought on the basis or
a wage increase. The men also ar
expected to demand perpetuation Oh
the check-of system, Whlch Is op-
posed by the owners.
1t is claimed on the operators SIDE
that miners are growing Increasingly
restive under the check-on system,
whereby they are subject TO deduc-
tions from their monthly wages for
union dues. With periodical assess
ments, these deductions sometimes
run into big figures. Cases are on
record where miners thus part with
as much as $40 a month. The union
leaders, naturally, battle vigorously
for the maintenance of the check-oH
and are said to keep the men In line
for 1t by going to bat energetically
for higher wages. On the occasion
of the 1924 conference, if it takes
obliterating union rules for limita-
ton of output. At present an eight
hour day is in vogue. But the United
Mine Workers are traditionally
pledged to crusade for six-hour day
and a five-day week. in order to