coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

24 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
union were allowed a representation of eight or
more in the big committee.
THERE WAS SOME OPPOSITION
to the policy from Ohio and otlier sections but it
was adopted In almost unanimous vote. On motion
of Joseph Smith of the Michigan mineis this action
was made subject to referendum vote of the union
membership, work to continue meantime.
The following is from a statement made after
adjournment of the policy committee for President
White-. Vice President Hayes and Secretary-Treas­
urer Green:
"The policy outlined * * * means industrial
peace. A settlement of tbe wage scale in all the
states and districts where contracts expire on
.March :ll will no dcrabt be brought about within
tbe near future.
"The committee * * * instructed the Interna­
tional officers to send out a circular to the local
unions instructing them to continue at work at
Ihe present prices and conditions of employment
pending a settlement of all local inequalities."
The Interstate wage conference held a prelimi­
nary meeting Tuesday afternoon, .March 17, but
went no further than to revive the organization
effected in Philadelphia in February, with President
XV. I.. Schmick of tlie Illinois operators as
chairman, William Green of the miners, and C. E.
McLaughlin of the Illinois operators, secretaries.
After this adjournment was taken till Wednesday
morning and the operators went into a separate
session. The operators Wednesday morning pre­
sented as their ultimatum a strict renewal of the
Cleveland agreement, adding a clause which would
protect them from demands at home and in district
conventions on matters not covered in existing
contracts. The niiners now hold as
UNWRITTEN LAW
that they may at any time make demands on matters
not covered in these contracts. This clause
was demanded by the Indiana operators who two
years ago were worsted and settlement delayed over
the weekly pay controversy. The niiners then
went into separate session and came back into the
wage conference Thursday morning with nothing
new to offer and the conference again adjourned
after very little discussion, the miners resuming
their separate meeting.
The miners on Friday morning brought in their
ultimatum for a renewal of the Cleveland agreement
with tlie elimination of clause three, sub­
stituting therefor the clause of the miners' de­
mands that internal differences and local inequali­
ties be referred back to the several distrocts for
adjustment, and that the mine-run question in
Ohio be referred to that slate under the provisions
of this clause.
The Ohio operators prepared
A COUNTER PROPOSITION
carrying three proposals. One that the screen
price of one dollar be continued if legal; a second,
that a pick mine-run rate of 61 cents be made the
basis if the law becomes operative; and a third
lo evade the law by paying 99% cents for the
screened coal and l'_ cents for the slack. This
would make the rate $1.01 but was consented to
by all Ohio operators because it would absorb
some local extras averaging this additional cent.
No vote was taken on these matters and at noon
Saturday, March 21, the wage conference recessed
till Tuesday morning. A motion was passed
providing that the Ohio people name a committee
of three from each side to act with the Interna­
tional officials of the miners' union in an effort to
adjust
THE OHIO SITUATION.
Tbe members of the i ommittee were Messrs. E. A.
Cole. Charles E. Maurer and S. H. Robbins of the
Ohio operators: John Moore. G. W. Savage and
Lee Hall of the Ohio miners, and John P. White,
Frank J. Hayes and William Green, the miners'
International officials.
Tuesday morning. March 24, the Ohio committee
reported disagreement. A separate session of the
operators was held and finally agreed to vote down
the miners' final proposition for a renewal of the
Cleveland agreement without clause three. This
was done Tuesday afternoon. Then followed ad-
jornment sine die on motion of Adolph Germar,
vice president-elect of the Illinois miners. This
tarried unanimously, and the Interstate movement
had again passed out of existence.
MICHIGAN OUTPUT FOR 1913*
Consolidated Coal Co 394,307
Robert Gage Coal Co 354,005
Republic Coal Co 90,433
Bliss Coal Co 89,435
Handy Pros 87,069
What Cheer Coal Mining Co 82,126
Caledonia Coal Co 39,464
Carbon Coal Co io 317
Five companies producing less than
10,000 tons each e 868
Total 1,156,024
Compiled lrom statistics furnished The Coal Trade Bulletin
the Hon. James V. Cunningham. Commissioner of London
Officers of the Indiana Bituminous Coal Operators'
Association were re-elected at the quarterly-
meeting recently. The officers are: Hugh Shirkie,
of Terre Haute, president; David Engle, of Oakland
City, vice president; P. H. Penna, of Terre
Haute, secretary-treasurer.