Evening star., 1923-06-26
hints OF ANOTHER
COAL STRIKE HEARD
Lively Fight Predicted Over
New Wage Agreement
Now Being Drawn Up.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, June 26.-People who
know the situation in Scranton,
Wilkes Barre, Pottsville and the other
cities in the heart of the anthracite
fields are beginning to buy coal.
Every indication, many of them said
today, pointed to suspension of min
ing September 1. They made these
assertions as representative Of 100000
United Mine Workers in the anthra-
cite fields gathered in Scranton to
formulate wage demands
The present agreement between
miners and operators. which became
operativeS at the ending of the an
thracite strike of 1922, extends only
to August 81. AT that time, the men
returned to work at the same scale
as existed before the strike, but their
return was arranged only with the
session, in which the radical element
among the miners fought bitterly to
prevent ratification. So great was
the tension at that time that John La
ers. burst into tears on the platform
after ratification had been an
nounced.
Men Differ Over Demands.
Since that time the boring from
within" policy of the radicals has been
followed. until residents of the an
thracite fields say the union organi-
zation looks like a grandfather's clock
with the wormholes in full evidence.
Rinaldi Cappilini of Hillsdale. radical
leader has defeated William j. Bren-
nan. who was Lewis right-hand man
in putting across the present agree
ment, as president of district No. 1.
and his followers claim their adher-
ents in districts 7 and 9 also have
increased in numbers.
The conservative element at the
D Scranton convention. it is understood.
would be content with demands en-
bracing acceptance of the check-off
system, equalization of wages in all
districts and a 10 per cent wage ad-
vance. The radicals are said to fa-
Vor demands for a six-hour day and
a 20 per cent increase.
supply Depends on Cars.
Coal operators said today that
anthracite supply next winter would
depend, as they did in the winter of
1929, on the car supply of the rail-
roads, as facilities did not permit the
storing of sufficient reserves at the
mines to care for all sections. The
Interstate Commerce Commission
gives good line on the car supply
in decision just handed down, in
which the following statement is
made: There are at present more
mines in the country than is consist
ent with the efficient use of carriers
equipment and their aggregate car
supply"
The Scranton convention will con-
tinue in session the remainder of
this week, and it is expected that
the presence of President Lewis, who
will take part in the later session.
VIII hearten the conservative element
After the demands are formulated two
months will remain- for negotiations
with the anthracite operators. In
the meantime some consumers are
laying in their winter stocks, and the
operators are by no means discourag-
ing this tendency.
Heat Stimulates Retail Trade.
Next winters coal, however, is
causing little worry to retail mer-
chants III widely separated sections
of the country. whose sales in
seasonal lines have been increased
tremendously by the hot weather. De-
partment stores in the steel centers
are doing rushing business, espe-
cially where special bargains are
overcoming reluctance of feminine
buyers to seek the shops. Such bar
gains backed by strong advertising
concerns have brought a remarkable
response in the middle west and south,
while the northwest is buying wear
ing apparel in astonishing quantities:
Delegates to the National Retail