OCR Text |
Show COAL WAGE CONFERENCE OPENS ITS PARLEYS; SECRETARY RAPS MINERS m mm Demands of Union for 60 Per Cent Increase j and 30-Hour Week De-I De-I clared to Be Impossible. Unyielding Position by Employers Is Equally Objectionable; Three Plans Are Proposed. WAoULVGTON-. Nov. 14. Demands or coal miners for a thir:y-hour week and a , 60 per cent Increase In wages and an BJt 1 yielding position by the operators, ailke were declared "Impossible by Secretary j Wilson in opening today the conference I called to bring peace to the bituminous j coal fields of the nation. To obtain this peace the becretary proposed three plans 1 of procedure. j Declaring that the Washington wage agreement still is legally in force, Mr. Wilson told the operators and miners that the people of the United Statee were not "Shylocke, and do not want to exact "the technical prwleions of a bond wheu the conditions under which the bond was made have changed.' He added that "if any great change Is made in the contracts the people of the United States are the ones who will have to pay," and throughout through-out his remarks emphasized the public interest m the coa! settlement. The three proposals expected to aid the two factions in arranging the new wage 1 agreement were set forth by the secretary I as follows: WAGE PROPOSALS ARE INDICATED BY WILSON. First, negotiation through joint wagre scale committees representing all districts: dis-tricts: second, negotiation through concurrent con-current sessions of committees from the various districts, and, third, negotiation first of an agreement in the central competitive com-petitive field and then of agreements for othcr fields with that of the central district dis-trict as a basis. After hearing Secretary Wilson, the conference adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow to-morrow to permit the miners and operators opera-tors to discuss separately the plan, which would be most acceptable to each. Indication of a conflict on the scope of the agreement to be negotiated involving the question of recognition of nOD-iixdfOn workers, devedoped at the outset of the conference and became more apparent in the two group meetings which followed. Discussion in the miners' caucus which followed the conference session, hinged on the question whether operators representing repre-senting both union and non-union fields would be included In the conference, and the effect any agreement reached by the conference might have in those fields, where the miners do not have contracts With the operators. ATTITUDE OF MINERS' LEADERS HINTED AT. Although officers of the LTnitod Mine Workers refused to make any statement following their meeting, it was learned that the Plan for a nation-wide conference confer-ence was favored, but before a proposal is agreed to. Secretary Wilson will be asked to make clear to the conferenoe that the rlghis of organized labor are to be protected In those districts where the. mining unions are not recognised by the coal companies. The operators, however, did not look with favor on an agreement covering an fields. The Washington wage aareemenn for the first time, the operators asserted,-fixed asserted,-fixed tho same date for tho expiration of contracts between miners and operators opera-tors In all parts of the country. Fear 6 the power this arrangement gives tti workers to bring about a nation-wide strike was expressed by the operators! who Indicated a desire to return to the old plan of basing all wage scale contracts on the agreement reached In the central competitive fields. OPPOSITION EXPRESSED BY OPERATORS' GROUP. Owners of mines outside of the central competitive fields conferred before the opening of the conference, and opposition was expressed to participation in the negotiations. ne-gotiations. Owing to the likelihood of protracted discussion on the scope of the confer-" ence before even the demands of the miners min-ers are brought into issue, many on both sides of the controversy predicted today that the sessions might continue for several sev-eral weeks. Both miners and operators asserted tonight to-night that Secretary Wilson's address would have a powerful effect In bringing closer together the extremes of both sides. The secretary's address, which was heard by approximately 250 members of th.1 conference in absolute silence, was delivered slowly and apparently- with deep feeling and conviction. Tho only applause of tho session greeted Mr. Lewis when he entered the hall about fifteen minutes late. Secretary Wilson had de-: laved calling the meeting to order until the miners' chief arrived. Reviewing previous negotiations at Buffalo. Buf-falo. Philudelphla and Washington, the secretary said the failure to reach an agreement had resulted in strikes "not (Continued ou Pa&e ro Column 4J WILSON RAPS DIGGERS AND THE OPERATORS (Continued From Pa s One.) nnly in the central field, but also in other fields where no demands had been mado upon the operator." Miners in tho outlying outly-ing fields, be added, were not at fault because of their failure to present demands de-mands because It was well known that the miners hud been willing that all districts dis-tricts be represented in negotiating a wage scalo and that "all objections had come from the operators." "Above all.' raid the secretary, "we are confronted with the fact that tho great mass of people dependent on coal in their evury-day life aro interested in reaching a settlement, not only in the central coal fields, but in all coal fields. It is for that reason I have asked your meeting here. "X desire to recommend that wage scale committees representative of all the fields proceed to negotiate an adjustment. I want to point out to you that prompt action ac-tion is necessary. As long as your troubles trou-bles were local in character, affecting only a small part of communities, there was no disposition to hurry you, but when your disputes take on a magnitude that affects tho entire country, then the peo--pie at large as a matter of self-preservation are insistent that you come to a settlement. Notes Demands of Miners. "The xniners' conference demanded a 30-hour week, a 60 per cent increase in wages and same other things. It is fair to say to you now that a 30-hour week In tho present Industrial condition of the world is impossible in coal mining. I realize the fact that miners seldom have an opportunity to work a 30-hour -week now when the maximum Is 48 hours. If you make a maximum of 30 hours under the conditions surrounding the mining industry in-dustry it means an effective working week of very much fewer hours than that." The reason for this, the secretary explained, ex-plained, was seasonable demand for coal in many districts and mine accidents and breakdowns and impossibility of furnishing furnish-ing transportation equipment to keep ull of the mines working regularly. 1 "No one knows," continued the secretary, secre-tary, "to what extent production would be "reduced by the introduction of a six-hour six-hour working day. and In these times when we have not yet recovered from tho offects of the war we cannot afford to undertake tho experiment of reducing working hours to six per day and fivo davs per week." Referring to demands of the miners for a 60 per OMt Increase In wages, the secretary said such an increase is an impossibility im-possibility as it would give tho miners wages out of proportion to those In other Industries. The secretary said "the stand-pat portion por-tion taken by the operators heretofore is also an Impossibility." Although the "Washington wage agreement" agree-ment" stil! Is in effect, the secretary said, "the people of the country did not want to exact the technical provisions of a bond when the conditions under which the bond wat- made have changed." 'Flcurs reveal," he sild. "that tho cost of living on tho basis of a family budget has Increased from 73 to 79 per cent, while the wages of the miners during dur-ing the saui r:rlod have IncrasM only from 34 to 50 pvr cent. Notwithstanding the terms of the bond, the ln'-reas In the cost of living la an existing' fart and relief re-lief should be given on the basis of Justice." Jus-tice." Referring to restrictions of the fusl administration, ad-ministration, Mr. Wilson said the government govern-ment had no desire to maintain tho maximum maxi-mum price of coal If that price resulted In "Injustice to miners or anyone else, but It will not consent to an Increase In the selling price that would do an injustice injus-tice to the consuming public." Secretary Wilson said he real ltd that some of the operators were ready to call th miners "reds. bolshevlsts and bandits." and that some of the miners would accuse operators of being "taskmasters, "task-masters, coal barons and profiteers," "Having asaumrd that." he concluded, "conalder your rock quarries xhauft4 and get down to connldr what Is fair and J'ist to tho unions, the operators and the public," f i rttary WHnon uigtcd the following fol-lowing plana for reaching an nirreement: Through Joint commltteea representing 'Mstrlcts: by concurrent sioii of rommlttrea from the various districts, and by having the csntral comoetitlv floM work out Its adjustment and use that as a basis for agreements In the other Relfi. Khll H. Tenna of Tcrre ltaure. spank in for tb operators of the central rem-P"tttve rem-P"tttve field, denied they had been "throwing Fionaa." "W arc the neopln who have ben attempting at-tempting to aattle dlfferencea between the miners and operators,' ho said. "The coal ,prnf or have r.-'o-r assumed as-sumed a stand-pat position. Wo do not know Jut what you mean by that. Mr Hertary. Wc hav. understood (tint th miners' demands wore, to urn your language. lan-guage. Mr. Fe.-rotary. Impossible. Ask for Recess. "Wo are as dmlroua now as over to settle our disputes and wa are ready to pr .i-'. cd nsrtlti, as we hnvo hesn ul v ays ready to effort a tMtlnmmt. "TOtl nk us to gCfltpt one of three methods of settlement, and make two of them Impossible so that only one remains. re-mains. Speaking for the operators of tho oentriu competitive fioid, we are not ready to give you an answer at this time. Wn ask a rt-e esa until morning," .lolin I,. Lewis, anting prraldont of the United Ulna Workers or America, sukod what basis Mr. WUtOB had In mind for the appointment of the conf rettrs roni-mltteee roni-mltteee tmnltntiod In Ms address. "What- I 'had In mind was the appointment appoint-ment of committees from ti -nte Hf-trlcts Hf-trlcts heretofore adopted by tho miners and the operators," said the secretary. "There are ninny Operator! herr repre-sontlng repre-sontlng those union and nonunion flebln," continued Mr. I .owls. "lo I understand that they would bo allowed to parth'l-paio parth'l-paio H these ooQfgfttlOai or be eliminated from them?" 'We have .inked them (r Join In tho general conH.l.irntlon or the aubjert," euM t lie secretary. "But. Mr. Secretary, many members' of the Knlt'd Mine Workers art now working work-ing In fields where there urn no contract relation," President i twli said, "will their wages and conditions bo fixed by H n ngrownent ?" "Not unless tho oporators In these fields nre i r prestnl ed, too," tin secretary secre-tary said. "Our present purpose Is the settlement Iti these flolda where there has been a toppagi of work, a mutual agreement can he arrived at by those who fOpretent tho minors, tho Operator! hud khfl people at largo." "The mine workers are willing to extend ex-tend their Jurisdiction and take in other field (ban the central competitive fields here," Mr. Lewis said. "It Is a departure depar-ture from policy, however, r ml 1 he mine workers want tlmo to OonitdOr II." After the secretary bad mad! Ml opening open-ing statement, the conference, inljiuli ne unt II tomorrow, |