The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-16
MINE OWNERS
START SIGNING
OF COAL CODE
Practically All Operators
Will Be Bound by
Late Afternoon.
4O-HOUR WEEK FIXED
Provides Minimum Prices,
Recognizes Right to
Organize.
BY H. o. THOMPSON
United Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-Bitu-
minous coal operators today accept
ed a code of fair practice for their
industry and began signing the
document, with indications that
practically all the industry would
be bound to the document by late
afternoon.
Discussion of wage contracts be-
tween the United Mine Workers of
America and operators of the Appa-
lachian group we're in progress,
with efforts being made to reach an
agreement simultaneously with APP
proval of the coal code by President
Roosevelt later in the day.
Signing of the code by individual
operators was necessary, because
the code was not sponsored by any
one organization or trade asSocia-
ton. Fifteen operators gathered in
the office of Donald Richberg, MIRA
general counsel, and the code then
was circulated to the hotel, where
the main body of operators was
meeting.
Three Months to Settle
The stubborn coal problem, de-
scribed by Administrator Hugh S
johnson earlier in the summer as
the pineapple of this whole bust
ness" drew toward settlement ex-
actly three months to the day from
the time the industrial recovery act
was signed,
The code will carry seven or eight
groups of operators signatures, with
independent operators bringing the
number of those signing to fifty or
more.
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
NRA 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.
Minimum Prices Fixed
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 $3.50 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.
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.
The administration dashed to a
hotel conference at l a. M, threat
ening to keep the negotiators in ses-
sion all night. The meeting broke
up, however, at 2 a. m.
Again Meets Delay
The new code retains the mini
mum price provisions contained in
the code drafted by NRA a week
ago. It 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 plan fol-
thirty -two-hour week for twenty
six weeks and forty-hour week Tor
twenty-six weeks thereafter. Hours
of work may be shortened if a ma
jority of workers at a 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