The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-16
At
LAST REACHED
ON COAL CODE
Final Draft Will Be Laid
Before Operators for
Signatures Today.
4O-HOUR WEEK FIXED
Provides Minimum Prices,
Recognizes Right to
Organize.
BY III. o. THOMPSON
limited Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-Final
draft of the long aWaited soft coal
code was laid before mine operators
for signature today. General Hugh
S. johnson, recovery administrator,
expected them to sign promptly. He
hoped President Roosevelt would be
able to promulgate the code to-
night.
Conferees representing operators,
labor and the NRA reached an
agreement on the code late Friday
night. The accord ended weeks Of
pickering that have hampered the
MIRA program and led to fresh
bloodShed in the coal fields. 1t
came at expiration of the deadline
set by the President for completion
of a code.
Signature of operators-the last
step before the code goes to the
White House for presidential ap-
proval-was not expected to take
long. The major operators were
represented on the committee which
agreed to the codes terms.
Minimum Prices Fixed
"Unquestionably, we will get
code after a meeting of operators
today" Johnson said YEARLY, after
working with mine and union lead
ers until 2 a. m.
The code in final form provides
for fixing of minimum prices.
PreScribes a maximum forty-hour
work week
Sets basic minimum wages for
underground workers ranging from
$3.75 to 1888 in sixteen districts.
Recognizes right of miners to Or
ganize.
Creates regional and national
boards to govern the industry and
settle labor disputes.
1t becomes effective the second
Monday after presidential approval.
Again Meets Delay
Johnson had hoped for action on
the code by operators Friday night.
This was delayed by further nego-
tiations over the wage agreements
between operators and the United
Mine Workers. The wage contracts
are to accompany the code.
Johnson said signing of the code
was not necessarily contingent on
completion of the wage contracts, but
he was anxious to clean them up
at one blow" NRA officials blamed
a group of West Virginia, Ken
lucky and Virginia operators for the
delay on the wage contracts.
The administration dashed to
hotel conference at l a. M, threat
ening to keep the negotiators in SEES
sion all night. The meeting broke
up, however, at a. m.
1T would be cruelty to animals
to keep them going any longer"
johnson said, himself appearing
very weary.
Retains Price Provisions
The new code retains the mini
mum price provisions contained in
the code drafted by NRA a week
ago. 1t forbids sale of coal at less
than fair market prices to be de-
termined by regional marketing
agencies and subject to government
review.
The provision for fiat maximum
forty-hour week replaces a plan for
a thirty-two- hour week for twenty
six weeks and forty-hour week for
twenty-six weeks thereafter. Hours
of work may be shortened if ma
jority of workers at mine desire
to share work with unemployed
men.
Under the code the MIRA will
study practicability of shortening
hours and making further adjust
ments in wages. representatives Of
operators and miners will meet with
NRA officials on Jan. 5, 1884. to con-
slider what changes should be made.