The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-08-08
SMALL OPERATORS
PLAN TO DRAW Up
SEPARATE PROGRAM
Will Hold Series Of District
Meetings Within Week
or 10 Days
LABOR PROBLEM Different
Tentative Code Calls For 4O-
Hour Week and Accent
Minimum Wage

Out OF meeting here Monday Of
IS Ignite coal mine operators from
throughout the state came a unanim-
GUS expression of willingness to CO.
operate in President Roosevelt's re-
covery program, adoption of tenta-
tive recovery code by members of the
Il. D. Ignite Operators association
and organization Of the Independent
Ignite Coal Operators association.
The new association, designed to in
clude all the small mine operators in
the state, will adopt separate code
IN series Of district meetings, accord
Ing to Edwin Rupp of Garrison,
named president.
Rupp said the small mine operators
could not agree to the code adopted
by the operators Of the larger mines in
view OF the fact that the small mine
operators employ a larger number of
laborers and therefore have a differ
ent problem.
Rupp said the larger operators, who
are members Of the N. D. Ignite Op-
orators association. produce about go
Fer cent of the coal in the state but
POINTED out that the smaller operators.
IN producing only 40 per cent Of the
states output, employ about 70 per
cent of the laborers
Most Are Strip Mines
With the exception of the Knife
River mine at Beulah. Rupp said, all
OF the large operators mines are strip
mines in which. machinery cuts down
the number OF laborers needed. All
o. the small operators mines, he said.
are underground mines, demanding a
higner percentage OF man power.
The new association plans q series
o. district meetings within tho next
week or 10 days at Minot, Kenmaxe.
Wllllston. Dickinson, Zap and Wilton
for consideration of a separate code.
A double purpose of the new assoct-
alton, Rupp said, is to establish coal
prices to such an extent that a fair
return on the small operators invest
ment Is assured and to guard against
Unfair competition and legislation
which would be detrimental to the
Ignite industry in general and the
general welfare of labor.
l.. G. Stearns of Minot was named
secretary of the new association
Rupp. Stearns and H. v. Jebb of New
Salem Will serve as members of the
board OF directors. Headquarters will
oe at Bismarck.
The tentative code was adopted bv
the Truax-Traer mines at Kincaid,
Velva and Wilton; Baukol- Noonan
NINE at Noonan; Knife River Coal
Mining company at Beulah; and the
Zap col!ieries and Dakota Galleries
mines at Zap, Republic junction and
Lucky Strike Junction.
40 Cents Minimum Wage
1t provides for a minimum wage for
ordinary and unskilled laborers OF 10
cents per hour in comparison with the
lormer wage minimum of about IS
cents an hour; corresponding in.
crease In minimum wages for piece
workers and skilled laborers; and a
minimum working week of 40 hours,
except in emergencies (such as rail-
road tle-ups and other developments
which would prevent steady output.
The code also provides for fair COM
petition and other details usually in
corporated in recovery codes.
M. c. Blackstun of Bismarck, chair
man Of the executive committee of the
N D. Ignite Operators association.
said the association is confident that
the tentative code adopted will con-
form with the code for coal mine op-
orators throughout the nation which
will be completed In Washington in
the near future.
Continued on to page two)