Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-08-28
10000 for Maintenance

The order involves a walk-out Of
15S,000 men, of whom about 10000
will probably be left in the mines for
maintenance work, such as the pre-
vention Of flooding and cave-ins.
The operators and the minerr were
deadlocked at meeting today on the
terms to govern the maintenance
work. The miners insisted that the
full number of men be used as IN
times of normal production and that
these men be retained during the
emergency period without either re-
duction or replacement by monthly
men.
The operators, on the other hand,
had wanted the right to skeletonize
these forces where practicable.
The meeting adjourned without
decision a5.20 P. M. to resume at .
o'clock tomorrow morning.
The snarl had never come up be-
fore for discussion by the two sides
but was brought up by the miners
this year because of abuses they al
legged had occurred in suspensions in
the past.
Text of Order
The suspension order follows:
philadelphia, August q, 1923:
ITO the officers and members Of
local unions of District numbers
], Z, and 8, United Mine Workers
OF America:
Dear Sirs and Brothers:
"The present agreement between
the anthracite operators and mine
workers expires August 81, 1928.
W y IL rxy{t -
the responsibility of making new
contract, has been unable to arrive
at any understanding affecting wages
or conditions of employment to be
effective after August 81, 1870.
Therefore, our membership in dis
tricts number /, and 9, Is advised
that no contract being In erect.
suspension of mining will automati-
cally take place at midnight, Mon
day. August 81, 1925.
Concerning the question of mairl-
tenance men remaining at work dur
ing the suspension, we advise that
the proper instructions will be issued
to our membership as soon as an
agreement covering this subject can
be consummated with the represen-
tatives OF the anthracite operators.
Please hold yourself in readiness to
put our policy with respect to main
tenance work into effect as soon as
possible after receipt of its con-
tents.
"Your scale committee will con-
Time every inuuence to bring about.
IL possible, a general agreement
which will mean substantial prog
ress for the anthracite mine work
ers. We will endeavor. from time
to time, to keep you fully advised
as to the situation. We hope that
the utmost cooperation will be ex-
ercised between our membership and
the scale committee"
Lewis at End OF Patience
President Lewis said that the is.
been held up as long as possible in
the hope of coming to terms with
the operators on the question of the
maintenance men. Failing agree
ment today. the union could wait no
longer in making the call, he said.
because OF the mechanical problem
of reaching 15S,0OO workers embrac-
ed by 325 union locals in the region
in time for action on Monday mid-
night.
Mr.. Lewis said that the miners
would attend the meeting of the an
thracite board of conciliation to-
morning and there cooperate
in every way with the operators in
an attempt to settle the question.
A supplementary order will then
follow tonight's suspension call. con-
tanning whatever agreement Is
reached.
Surprise to Operators
The suspension came as a surprise
to the operators who admitted that.
(Continued on Page 5-CoI. 81