Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-18
Miners and Operators
to Meet Again Mon
day - Promise Seri-
GUS Effort to Reach
Agreement = Mines
to Be Kept Running
in Any Event =
TIE r m S, If Agreed
Upon, Would Date
Back to Sept. l

New York, Aug. 17.-(By A. PO-
At the direct demand of the United
State Coal Commission, miners I'M
ion officials and representatives Of
mine operators in the anthracite
region today agreed to go back into
joint conference to seek terms for
a new wage contract that may be-
come effective September /.
The whole complicated fabric OF
the controversy which has separated
the mine operators and the spokes-
men for their employees was tenn
porarily set aside by the decision.
Notwithstanding. coal commission
members held themselves from ex-
pressing any over optimism as to the
prospects of keeping the anthracite
mines running after September I.
John Hays Hammond, it's chairman,
and his associates would return 10
Washington and report the results
attained to President Coolidge.
The Commission early today caI:ed
in Samuel D. Warmer, chairman Of
the operators policy. and John L.
Lewis, president of tne United Mine
Workers. The two leaders were
presented with letter which pointed
out that the public mind ais b"gin-
ming to be seriously alarmed over
the question of whether there is to
be another suspension of anthracite
mining September l."
Three questions were asked IN the
letter, the first as to whether the
operators and miners could reach an
agreement fixing terms of new
wage contract before September !,
while the last two were directed 20
bringing out the attitude of each
party on the general proposition of
keeping the mines running after
that date even il the terms of the
projected new contract were still IN
settled.
n. Lewis and Mr.. Warmer SIM
rloned their associates, agreed
qu;Chly on the terms of a tefse let
ter of reply. Jointly, the miners and
operators said they would : .3uiLe
conference at Atlantic City Monday
and earnestly endcavor to r ZACH an
agreement by september l."
Failing in such an agreement. the
operators said, they would seek an
understanding that the mines should
keep on running, while the wage con-
ference proceeded, with the terms OF
its final form TO be retroactive to
Sept 1. The miners asked that this
matter be left to the joint conference.
The operators further urged, the re-
ply letter said, that the parties to
the wage contract negotiation "agree
to arbitrate any part of the eleven
union demands not otherwise dis
posed of but the miners contented
themselves by stating this subject
to be "superceded by the joint action
in agreeing to confer"
The agreement, for the. time be-
ing. swept clear all of the issues in
conflict between the operators and
the union, but at the same time de-
ferred all these conflicts without ad-
justing them. Demand number Of
the eleven put forward by the Unit
ed Mine Workers is for full recog-
milton of the union" and a two year
contract. Recognition of the union
has been construed to require the
operators. among other things. to
collect the union dues from their en-
ployes by Checking off" the amounts
involved from payrolls and turning
it over to unions. -
When this demand was fatty. re-
fused last July. the wage negotia-
tons ended, Mr.. Lewis in behalf of
the union presented a proposal to
the coal commission whea it began
its inquiry here Wednesday by which
the union would abandon the
Checking off" from mine payrolls
sums owed the mining companies by
their employees for supplies and 9TH
er items usually furnished miners.
A qualified agreement from the mine
operators to this proposition pre-
cipitated further controversy, which
continued until cut short by to-
days action. 49,