The Washington times., 1923-09-07
OPERATORS
YIELD ON
RAISE IN
PAY
Length of Day and Check Off
Problems Are Still to
Be Solved.
BY GEORGE e. DURNO,
international News Service.


HARRISBURG, Pa. Sept. t.
The hard coal showdown comes
today. This afternoon Governor
Pinchot of Pennsylvania will meet
the anthracite operators and
miners in Joint conference TO de-
termine whether the nation is to
witness another long and dis
astrous coal strike or whether the
165, 200 miners are to return to
their collieries.
Accepted By Operators.
The. conference win make or
0reAk' on the check-off issue. Full
recognition Of the union. as diff
fsrently interpreted by the two
ating .facEof.
This statement comes direct from
miner headquarters. =
Under duress," the operators
have accepted without qualification
the four points OF settlement as Of
Tered by Governor Pinchot-a settle
Tnent which, to quote an operator
spokesman, viii add $50. 500. 900 to
the nations domestic coal bill" or
O minimum increase of so cents q
ton 10 the public"
The miners are blocking the road.
They accept two of the four
points, but continue to hold out for
q dollars and cents" increase for
day men, the low priced men OF
the industry-and for the check-off.
It was learned authoritatively,
however. that the miners will back
down on their demand for a greater
increase for the day men, accepting
the flat ten per cent for the entire
industry-if they are given the
closed shop
Closed Shop Now Issue.
The closed shop has become
more than issue of the anthracite
strike, 1t was pointed out today.
Facing the almost certain prospect
fields, next April, John L. Lewis,
international president of the
United Mine Workers of America,
Is determined that he shall be pre-
pared for that crisis with a 100
per cent union organization with
all Of it's influence and funds. Only
through the check-off or some
other form of complete union
recognition" can he be sure of such
q weapon.
It was not expected the miners
would break on the check-off direct
Rather, Lewis is prepared to use
the day men increase as a smoke
screen behind which he can wage
q finish fight for the coveted
prize of recognition. If the opera
tors would agree ito hire nobody
but union men," Lewis, 1T was
learned. would abandon the check
off demapd-would even give up
the increased wage for day men.
The operators answer is an I'M
qualified statement they will never
agree to either the checkoff or any
other plan by which they would be-
denied the right to employ any men
they may desire.
Forced by Pinchot.
In the operators camp today 1t
was learned that the 10 per cent
wage increase was accepted only
because Governor Pinchot had
a forced the employers in a position
where they would either have to
pay the figure he named or face
public opposition in the inevitable
continuance Of the strike. The oper-
ators, however, have not receded
from their original position that a
wage increase is unjustified.
The public, IT was made clear,
must pay the bill-8O cents at least
on every ton or coal. Speaking of
the 10 per cent increase, ii was
stated at operator headquarters:
"It is the worse possible thing,
both for the industry and for the
American9 public. 1t is uneconomic
and it will add $32, 500. 900 to the
nations domestic coal bill each
year"
Upon Governor Pinchot. it was
said, will fall the duty of making
this clear to the domestic consumer.
should a settlement be reached, and
5ustifying # as best as he can.
Ffna! instructions will be issued
to the union subcommittee of four
by the full scale committee at a
meeting scheduled for one o'clock.
Following this, the miner delegation
will present its final answer tJ
Governor Pinchot and the operators
&C Q o'clock
+. 4