Evening star., 1926-02-17
Rate hv Mail-Payabla in Advance.
MARYLAND and Virginia.
Al Other States aud Canada.
Member of the Associated Press.
Ccal Peace Ratified.

Singing a song of victory" the
secured from a convention of miners
at Scranton a practically unanimous
approval of their agreement with the
operators for the immediate resump-
ton Of work. They proclaimed the
Philadelphia settlement as the great
est triumph in the history of the or
CaniZation. The hated word "arhitra-
ton" has heens eliminated. There
will be no waGe reduction for five
years. the principle of collective bar
gaining is preserved and adoption of
the Checll-off is understood" The
statements of the several Spokesmen
for the organization We're greeted with
cheers. and when the vote was taken
all but two of the 200 miners present
rose in assent, the others standing in
negation but giving no explanation of
their votes. A delegate who was de-
nounced as the dissemination of red
literature was chased out Of the meet
ing.
mallv signed and tomorrow mining
will begin. Then negotiations will
start for the writing of agreements
with the operators regarding the EFF
cheney and reciprocity" provisions of
this new contract. Therein is the
only chance of further friction. Yes
terdav President Lewis of the Union
said of the operators:
Thev know that for us to cooperate
with them in the reduction of costs
and in he increasing of efficiency
means the check off. When thew sign
thai document il means that we shall
work il out. not that we NAV work it
out. 1t Is a mandate lust as strong as
tho English language can make it,
and If It is not worked out it will be a
violation of the contract.
Another speaker stated that in re-
turn for increased efficiency the oper-
ators would grant the voluntary
check-off limited to S12 in dues and So
in assessments each year on the writ
ten request of the men that such de-
ductions NAV be assigned to the union.
This. he said. meant that I'VE are
nearer the check off than at any other
time in our history"
A voluntary check-off or dues collec-
ton at the written request Of the men
IS quite different from that form of
check-off that was demanded at the
outset Of the negotiations which led
to the strike. One of the contentious
Of the union last July and up to the
time Of the break was the compulsory
check-off. Much depends in this mat
ter upon whether the written re-
quest" is to be effective only for the
individual so signing, or is to be COL
lective. majority of a company's
crew dominating all.
But these matters are all beside the
main question of mining coal. The
men are anxious to get hack to work
and the public is anxious to have
them work. Peace is assured now in
the hard coal fields until at least the
first of September. 1880, unless trou-
BILE arises over this check off matter
Coal will bagin to move to market by
the end of the week. There will be no
reason whatever for any increase of
prices. The cost of mining per ton
will not be any greater than it was
last Summer. Any attempt on the
part Of the owners to recoup the
losses due to the long suspension will
be Immediately resented. From a pub
lie point of view, the miners having
lost their wages for five and a half
months. the mine owners must lose
their share of the cost of this great
failure.