Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-03
Soft Coal Operators
1907 Off on Contract
Figures, UNIV Claims
Miners Union Official
Says Difference in
j on Cost Is Only l8 Cents
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

The United Mine Workers de-
clared today that the bituminous
operators were $50 per cent
wrong" in figuring cost of the
miners contract demand, and
that the actual per ton increase
would be Is cents instead of IS
as the operators calculated.
Charles O'Neill, spokesman for the
operators, told the soft coal wage
conference yesterday that John L.
Lewis new demand would cost the
Nation s400,000,000 and raise the
price of coal IS cents ton. He also
said the proposals would add $3.50
a day to the pay of each miner.
The box car figures referred to
by Mr.. O'Neill are really out of the |
picture and too ridiculous to be given
much consideration" Thomas Ken
nedy, UNIV secretary treasurer.
said today at the contract negotia-
ton conference at the Shoreham
Hotel. Mr.. O'Neill was IS per cent
wrong in estimating the cost of our
demands in 1941 We believe this
year he is 80 per cent wrong
Mr.. Kennedy. former Lieutenant
Governor of Pennsylvania, said the
minors estimate of the cost per ton
of their contract proposals.
cents-did not include allowance for
the royalty" of 10 cents a ton which
the miners want the operators to
pay into the UNIV treasury for
health insurance
Royalty" Strongly Defended.
He strongly defended the royalty"
idea and charged that operators.
particularly in the South, in former
years paid to 10 cents per ton
into common fund for keeping
the United Mine Workers out of
those fields. In other words, funds
were raised to protect the workers
from the UNIV"
He cited other examples to indi-
cate the royalty idea was nothing
new to the coal industry
1--WE believe in these proposals"
Mr. Kennedy continued in reference
to miners wage demands. They are
sincere. They spring from the peo-
pie back in the coal region. If We
are to have concord in the industry
they must be given consideration as
such. The UNIV is prepared to 60
ahead and prove our case to the
operators, the public and the Gov
eminent"
Mr.. Kennedy declared that the
miner, because of the hazardous
nature of his work, was unable now
to get adequate insurance through
ordinary channels, in explaining the
UMW's reasons for asking roy
atty" He said Is per cent of all
mine workers suffered to some ex-
tent from siiicosis, caused by coal
dust, and very few States have laws
providing compensation for them.
Insurance rates for miners, he
added, are so high as to become
prohibitive.
Small Committees Likely.
Following Mr. Kennedy's argu-
ments, the conference is scheduled
to get down to the business of nego-
tiating a work contract to replace
the current agreement which expires
March 81. 1t was held doubtful,
however, that much business weuld
be started before Monday.
The miners probably will accept
the operators suggestion that each
appoint small committees, probably
of seven men. to discuss new con-
tract terms.
In figuring that the Lewis wage
demands would add $400, 0O0, 900 to
the annual cost OF producing soft
coal and $3.50 day to each miners
pay check, Mr.. O'Neill said he had
not included some items which are
impossible of calculation and would
further increase cost of production. /"
He appealed for a sincere effort to
reach agreement and said I'VE recog-
|nize that the production o. necessary
war materials, guns, planes and ships
would cease within a few days if
shutdown of the coal mines came to
pass as q result of our failure to
negotiate q wage agreement.
Mr.. O'Neill indicated the operators
were most concerned with the min
ers' royalty proposal. Mr.. Lewis
7ses MINERS Page AID