Evening star., 1943-03-23

per cent of the coal tonnage OF the
country. We are furnishing this in
formation to you in view of the
serious effect stoppage Of coal pro-
duction in these mines would have
upon the war effort and the welfare
of the Nation. Copies OF this tele-
gram are being forwarded to the
Department of Labor, the National
War Labor Board, the Office of Eco
nomic Sterilization and the CO.
ordinator of solid foods for war"
Burke's Telegram.
A later telegram was addressed to
the President. from New York. by
Edward R. Burke, Negotiating Com
mlttee. Southern Appalachian Wage
Conference, the text of which fol-
lows:
I'VE respectfully submit to you
the following statement of the sit
uation as it now exists in the con-
ference of coal operators and mine
workers in the Southern Appala-
chan area, which produces 100000
900 tons of coal and employs 165,OOO
miners.
After having been in continuous
session since March II without
progress, it is our opinion that no
agreement can be completed before
April unless the proper govern
mental agency takes immediate
jurisdiction.
The United Mine Workers have
stated that without an agreement
the miners will not work after
April l.
They have proposed to us that
the mines be kept in operation until
April 30, pending negotiations un-
der an agreement that any increases
finally determined upon shall be
paid retroactively to April l.
Own Proposal Offered.
I'VE refused that proposal under
today's date and made a proposal of
our own In q letter, the text of
which follows:
Negotiating Committee, United
Mine Workers OF America. South
ern Appalachian Wage Conference,
Roosevelt Hotel, New York City
Gentlemen: We have given serious
consideration to your letter to US of
this date. We indorse the hope you
express that the mines NAV remain
IN continuous operation pending the
settlement of new agreement We
say there must be no stoppage of
work for single day.
I'VE cannot accept your pro-
posal that any increase in wages or
improvement of working conditions
that might later be included in the
wage agreement shall be computed
and applied retroactively from the
date of April l, 1943. Instead, we
propose that all mines in the
Southern Appalachian producing
area remain in operation under ex-
listing agreements pending continued
negotiations and final completion of
an agreement with the understand
ing that If any increases in wages
or improvement in hours or working
conditions are written into the new
agreement they shall be made ef1ec-
tive on the date approval of the
agreement is given by the govern
mental authorities vested with
jurisdiction in the premises.
The basis for our rejection of
your proposal for an unlimited
retroactive clause will be briefly
stated.
Hardships Claimed.
81. Even in normal times it has
been universally recognized that the
nature OF the coal industry is such
that increased labor cost cannot be
computed and applied retroactively
without imposing burdensome and
sometimes fatal hardships upon
operating companies. Coal is sold
generally at such a slight margin OF
profit that any additional labor cost
that might be retroactively added
would be disastrous. For this reason,
operators have consistently refused
to grant any retroactive demand.
2. The only exception in the
above practice occurred in l94l. The
operators in the Southern Wage
Conference were at that time obliged
to work retroactively. However, in
that instance, the amount of the de-
manded increase that remained In
dispute was small, namely, 20 cents
additional In day rates upon the 81
increase already agreed to. That was
definite increased cost amounting
to . few cents 4 ton only as con-
rasted with the uncertain and stag
gering increase involved in your
present demands which might total
81 IS . ton.
3. Moreover, 1t was possible In
1s4l to increase sales prices to cover