The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-08-31
MINES SHUT
DOWN; MONSTER
EXODUS STARTS
Vanguard of $4,000 Strikers
Quit Work as Zero Hour
Nears
HALT WORK MIDNIGHT
Total of 5000 Maintenance
Men Will Remain in Pit
on Agreement
HALT WORK MIDNIGHT

Swampscott. Mass, Aug. 31.-
R)-Prcsident Coolidge was urg-
ed today to press for congress
siOnal approval Of the federal
coal commissions recommended
tiOn by John Hays Hammond,
former chairman of the commits
sion.
The commission which now
cd for the legislation of the coal
industry and would give the gov
crnmcnt power to distribute fuel
during emergencies.
Mr.. Hammond was not apprc-
hensive over the present situa-
tiOn with a suspension In opcr-
atiOns in the anthracite fields
scheduled to hcgin tomorrow and
he did not think an emergency
existed which would demand
special session Of Congress to en-
art the commissions rcCOmmcn-
dations.
While the president discussed
the anthracite problem today
with several visitors there was
no indication that he would yield
in his determination to keep the
government out Of the negOtia-
tiOns between operators and min
crs.
Philadelphia, Aug. 3l.--tP
thracite mining in northeastern
Pennsylvania will stop at midnight
by order Of the United Mine Work
arS.
The stroke Of ~ marks expiration
Of the two-year working agreement
Of $4,000 workers. who have been
unable to agree with the mine own
Frs upon its renewal and who decline
TO work until some renewal is nego-
tated The walkout will place vir-
tual paddock upon S2S mines in ten
counties. it will involve in addition
to the bulk of the miners another
army of they dependents.
The full number of those depend
cnt on miners and for whom bread
winning accordingly stops, is put at
500. ZOO. About 5000 maintenance
men will remain in pits by mutual
agreement to prevent flooding and
attend to their general upkeep.
They will be assessed a days pay
every week for the Unions emer
gency fund.
Something like 10000 railroad men
employed in handling Of coal ship
ments and in shops and car repair
work will probably be thrown out of
work, suspension will be practically
100 per cent effective. The region
has been thoroughly organized by
the union and the handful Of men,
the union has permitted its men,
bers to associate with despite the
lack of union buttons is expected to
quit as we'll. Union officials con-
template no picketing and the own
ers, so far as can be learned, plan
no importing of non-union help.
At many mines contract miners
quit work Sunday after blowing
down enough coal to keep laborers
occupied for the remainder of the
contract. Many heavy tools have
been removed by the men and stored
away until such time as a new con-
tract is signed.
Many anthracite workers are pre-
pairing to set out for the soft coal
fields and hunt for other jobs. The
ability of unionists to substitute the
jobs picked up there is half the bat
tie.
The miners are demanding ten
per cent increase in tonnage rates.
one dollar a day more for day work
ers, the check two-year con-
tract, equalization of rates and other
The operators insist all demands
must first absolve themselves Of any
likelihood Of increasing production
cost before they can be given con-
sideration. The men in turn refuse
the proposal Of the owners to leave
the matter to arbitration and hold
that negotiations are useless until
the owners agree to consider de-
mands on their merits regardless of
cost.
Negotions were broken off at At
lantic CITY on August a.