Evening star., 1933-09-22
Soft Coal Agreement Involves
Wages of Hundreds
of Thousands.
HELD AS GREATEST PACT
IN BARGAINING HISTORY
N. R. A. Key Men Are Reorgan.
lied and Policy Board
Is Created.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
"A single labor contract involving the
wages of hundreds of thousands of
miners today needed only President
Roosevelt's approval to become an ef-
fective instrument of soft Goals N. r. A.
code.
Described by its signers as "the
greatest in magnitude and Importance
that has ever been negotiated in the
history of collective bargaining" the
agreement handed Hugh S. johnson
last night set tonnage rates needed to
carry out the basic minimum daily
kage scale fixed in the code. Swift
presidential approval was expected.
Signers of Contract.
]. D. A. Morrow, president Of the
Northern Coal Control Association, and
%. c. Mahan, president of the Smoke
less Appalachian Coal Associatlon-the
two embracing 10 per cent OF the pl-
luminous coal tonnage-signed for the
operators. John l.. Lewis, president OF
the United Mine Workers OF America,
was the third signer.
ats sponsors believe it marks the
beginning of a new era in the task OF
stabilizing and undermining the eco
nomic processes Of this basic industry,
the three said in a joint statement
Its sponsors in submitting 1t Tor ap-
proval commend it not only to the
President, but to the people OF the
United States"
Completion of the soft coal labor
aereement which the three signers said
was ACCOMPLISHED with the inspiring
help of President Roosevelt" coincidec
with the disclosure of N. r. A. plans
looking toward a permanent organiza-
ton under which industry Will regu-
late itself with the least governmental
interference.
Personnel to Be Shifted.
johnson has ordered the drafting b.
Thomas S. ammond-director OF tnt
emergency Unemployment campaign
of a permanent set-up involving the
shifting of personnel and also the merg-
ing of as many industries as practicable
under the least possible number OF
master codes.
In the reorganization work q new
Policy Board was created under Ham
mond's Craftsmanship and was expected
to provide the nucleus for the perma-
nent organization. While the recovery
act ends on June Is, 1885, johnson be-
lieves Congress will extend the best
features of the N. R. A. program.
N. r. AS immediate aim was to get
all industries under codes by the end
of the year. The Policy Board will
press the gradual merger Of Blue Eagle
agreement work into code hearings.
Contract Drawn Up.
The coal contract, carrying out the
provisions of the code by setting ton
mage rates based on the codes basic
day rates and fixing agreements on
other details, was drawn up in negotla-
tions which followed the signing of the
charter by the President last Monday
The operators representatives signed
the contract only in so far as employees
,, of the operators are represented by the
United Mine Workers, but the con-
tract Is binding on members Of the as
sociations whose representatives elect
to have the U. M. w. represent them.
The contract will run until next
March 81. An agreement was made
under which representatives of the con-
| tracing parties will meet with N. r. A
| officials next January 'for the purpose
| of determining revisions that may be
desirable at that time covering wages
hours, differentials, or other require
ments of the contract and the code o.
fair competition for the bituminous Goa
industry. as well as the conditions to be
set forth in new agreement effective
April l, 1884"
Although Hammond, as executive
director Of the Presidents emergency
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