Evening star., 1933-09-17
Troublesome Negotiations
Had Thrust InnumerabIe
Obstacles in Way of N. RIA.
and Resulted in Strikes.
JOHNSON INDICATES ALL
MINES WILL BE INCLUDED
Administrator Smiles Broadly in
Telling of Success+Final Ac.
ton Comes Soon After Roose,
velt Issues Warning to OPP
orators, j.
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
The bituminous coal code,
fraught with controversy through
all the negotiations for its formu-
lation, was signed last night by
the operators of the various pros
ducing regions.
The ceremony made the docu-
ment of strife ready for promul.
cation by President Roosevelt.
All the way through the trouble-
some negotiations it had thrust
innumerable difficulties before the
administration, obstacles that had
been reflected in strikes in the
coal fields themselves.
Two nights ago, after an outbreak
OF fighting in the Pennsylvania strike
area, President Roosevelt summoned
various leaders of the industry and Of
nclalS OF the Government to the White
House for long conference and allotted
"a more hours for formulation of the
code. The "a hours ended Friday, with
the operators still far from their goal,
More time was granted.
Wage Disputes Settled.
Through long conferences in hotel
rooms, the work went on throughout
yesterday. There were lengthy debates
over wage differentials among the vari.
GUS coal fields. Wage disputes were to
be settled. Marketing agreements, com.
hNIgAS ofof1c fo kA
settled.
The draft Of the code was completed,
but still there were more points to be
settled. Contracts had to be signed
with the United Mine Workers Of
America for labor. Hugh S. johnson,
the administrator, went into a series
OF meetings with the operators shortly
before nightfall Through several
hours the conference room debate
went on.
Finally. the administrator emerged
from q conference room at the Shore.
ham Hotel to say the compact would b
signed at his Office at z pm.
A little after the time set, the opers
ators began filing into Johnsons Office.
BY tWo's and in groups, they went in
side to put their names on the
document
The work was not entirely com.
pleted when they left. j. P. Francis.
one OF the operators who had been
working on the code for weeks. said
the wage agreement between the opera .
tors and the United Mine Workers of
America had not been completed, but
they were in such stage that only
minor details were left.
Predicts Ratification.
He predicted these contracts. which
would unioniZe completely the soft coal
nelds. would be ratified Sooc.
johnson smiled broadly as the opera,
tors left his Office. He said every grouu
OF producers in the country except those
from Alabama and Western Kentucky
mad put their names to the compact.
The administrator called President
Roosevelt as soon as the task was done.
informed him OF the result and was
told by the Chief Executive to get some
rest before bringing the code to the
White House for formal signature and
PRONUNCIATION today. 1t will take effect
on the second Monday after the Press
1dents signature.
had signif1ed approval of the code as
drafted finally and he did not know
the reason for their non-appearance
when time came to sign He had no
indication. he said, that the group did
not intend to comply.
In answer TO questions, he pointed
out the code governed the entire soft
coal industry.
Applies to All Mines.
"It is code for the United States.e
he said. meaning non n-signers were just
as much subject to its provisions as the
operators wh0 put their names to the
document
Johnson disclosed the issue that had
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