Show T r 1 LI r-l r Vt tN 1 OPERATORS PlAN DRASTIC GUT CUT IN MINERS MINERS' WAGES AGES Proposed Scale in Alexander Alexander Alexander Alexan Alexan- der Howat District Shows Reduction From to Per er Day UNION MEN IN SIX STATES A AFFECTED Decision to Present 1917 Wage Schedule for Restoration Restoration Restoration Res Res- Said to Be Verdict Verdict Ver Vera dict of Association I. I INDIANAPOLIS Ind March 8 By United The Press rail rail miner miner C fen sly ive lve alliance formed on the eve of thi th threatened coal strike April 1 wa was wai ratified rati rati- fied fled today by the international International tive board of the United Mine Workers KANSAS CITY Mo MoT March 8 By the Associated Press Press Press-Accor Press According to a astory astory astory story published in the Kansas City Journ Journal l today drastic wage reductions reductions proposing a scale of less than half that now b being prepared by the miners willbe will willbe willbe be presented to miners of six states by bytHe bythe bythe the Southwestern Int Interstate Coal Operators' Operators association wh when n the present present present pres pres- ent agreement expires April I 1 1 it be became became became be- be came known here today The Journal announcement came cama twenty-four twenty hours before a conference to be held tomorrow between representatives representatives of the operators and a wage scale committee from miners' miners Union district 14 of which Alexander Howat deposed mine leader was formerly head The Tho conference will mark the tha first meeting the operators have held with new union officials appointed b by President Lewis of ot the United Mine lIne Workers of America following the expulsion ex- ex of ot the Howat administration The reduction which calls for res resi re of the 1917 wage scale scab will at Thursdays Thursday's tn J t n the Journal says but the operators In intend intend in- in tend to walt wait until the miners have ap appointed appointed ap- ap pointed other committees at a a. later date dates The new scale means a daily dally wage of Present union wages are a day Association representatives from Missouri Kansas Iowa Oklahoma Arkansas and Texas are understood to be solidly behind the agreement which whick followed a two-day two meeting herd here end end- In log ing yesterday Abolition of the check off system It is reported is also a part of ot the plans of the operators x Rail Work Let LetOn LetOn On Private Contract BALTIMORE Md March 8 The The Western Maryland railway yesterday announced to Its maintenance of ot otway way emI loyes that at midnight the tha Dickson Construction and Repair company company com corn pany of Youngstown 0 O. would assume control of maintenance of way work on the entire system The Youngstown Youngstown Youngstown Youngs- Youngs town firm which will wUl undertake the work on a contract basis plans to re retain retain re- re tam tain the r railway compan company's s 's present force of laborers it Is said with wages ages reduced from 39 H cents to 25 cents per hour General Strike Gains Headway LONDON March 8 By the Associated Asso Asso- elated dated Press South Press South African workers have rallied In a fairly wide response to the call for a general strike issued dby d- d by executive committees of th tho th Industrial Industrial Industrial Indus Indus- trial federation and trades trade's unions In sympathy with striking miners says an Exchange Telegraph company dispatch from Johannesburg Many shops in the business section e Uon have been closed their proprietors fearing tearing violence Walters Waiters and waits waits- have been forcibly taken from their Jobs in the few restaurants that are open All public vehicles vehicles- have stopped and delivery wagons have been I forbidden to do business Slaughter Slaughterhouse Slaughterhouse Slaughterhouse house workers have hae ceased work and mechanics at and Germis- Germis ton railroad centers have gone on strike Workers affiliated with other unions have been removed from tb their lr Jobs Disorders occurred In different sections sections sections sec sec- of the city ga says s 's a Reut Reuter r dial dispatch dis dia- patch from Johannesburg During the l afternoon police fired blank cartridges In attempts to scatter strikers who I Continued on page 3 3 r OPERATORS PlAN PIAM Continued from page pago 1 had tried to eject a a. group of ot telephone workers The ugliest incident so far i connected with the strike occurred in I square when revolver shots shots' i were were fired on the police by the strikers The police supported by reinforcements reinforcements reinforcements reinforce reinforce- ments In lorries pushed forward with fixed bayonets and dispersed a great crowd Later In the evening Brixton a suburb of Johannesburg was the center center center cen cen- ter of fighting around a negro church Only one casualty was reported Groups constables constables' strikers ers also came to blows near Robinson f 1 Deep r t 1 I Lacka Lackawanna wanna Gets n 1 Freight Contract e S SCRANTON SCRANTON Pa l I March S. S The Th The a a OJ J Delaware Lackawanna 5 i Western Western Vestern Railroad company will hereafter have a all the tho freight at its transfer station in this city handled handl d by contract hn h I State Official Sees Sees- f n I Labor Shortage u SALEM pre ore March S. S There Ther will There will willbe bo ho a shortage of labor in Oregon within with with- in two or three months C. C II Gram state labor commissioner predicts With th the the- passing of the tho peak of the unemployment situation Mr Gram says conditions are rapidly improving During the latter part of ot January approximately men were out of ot employment In the state Mr Gram said |