Evening star., 1924-01-22
SOFT. COAL STRIKE
SEEMS UNCERTAIN
Miners Consider New Wage
DemandS-Business Now
Declared Very Poor.
BY J. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, January 22.-The real
battle to determine whether or not
there will be strike of coal miners
III the bituminous fields April 1 prob
ably will be fought out around hotel
table in Jacksonville, Fla, February
II, although the United Mine Workers
of America, in convention at Indianap-
oils, will determine the plans under
which their representatives will con-
duct their campaign.
Men high in the councils of the mine
workers organization declared today
by telephone that the miners were
more firmly determined and more
unanimously agreed than ever before
TO get what they think they should
have. even If it requires the most dras-
tic action to obtain 1t. Indications
point strongly toward vote by the
convention to demand wage increases
of between 10 and 20 per cent. 1t is
power to bargain will be vested in the
scale committee.
Coal Business Poor.
The present situation in the btu
nlnous industry would seem to sup
port this course. Each side admits
bituminous coal. Production has
been heavy and demand, owing in
part to the mild winter weather up
70 few days ago, has been light
Many mines are closed entirely and
others are working only two to four
days a week.
Coal experts assert that there are
scores of mines now in operation
which are not needed to fill the de-
mand. They also declare that there
are scores of thousands more miners
in the industry than the situation
warrants. Wages are now at COM
Daratively high level as result of
the last agreement, but earnings are
not at a high level because employ
Inent of the miners IS not continuous.
Some authorities therefore believe
tha the miners would be prepared to
Weld a point on the increase de-
manded if the operators would or
could insure them moro regular work.
This, it is pointed out, would mean
high cost properties permanently idle
and speed up production in those
which are kept working.
Concessions Expected.
There is small doubt that both
miners and operators will be prepared
70 make some concessions. Each.
however, will open the campaign by
quitting forward large demands in
me hope Of gaining points which
they regard as essential. The oper
ators are undoubtedly keeenly anxious
70 see the abolition OF the check off
system, which they yielded at the last
settlement.
The delegates, gathered at India
napolis, however. presented q firm
front today in regard to submission
TO arbitration of points at issue.
Spokesmen declared these questions
would not be presented to any third
party for adjudication, but that the
Ecale committee would sit close up
1T the table with the operators and
light it out with them, and them only.
Would Fix Labor's Selling Price.
Van A. Bittner of Pittsburgh, an in
tarnational representative of the
union, said: I'VE are against the idea
of letting some outside source pro-
vide our standard of wages and our
methods OF living. If a man goes into
2 store to buy sack of flour he does
not have to call in some one from
the street to decide what would be
g. fair price. In other words, arbitra
tion does not exist when persons
have something to sell. We have
labor to sell and intend TO fix it's
price"