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EVENING LEDaER--PIIiLA43ELPIIIA, SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 5, 1916.
Effect
AJJI
of
Minor' Demand No. 1
!?'? ,io'in,n--t1,e-,lfxl "n'fnct 1 fr n fttiotl of two years, cnmmenclnB
,.ii.ni.n i SK"J?." ?,nrrh a1.' J018' ttml Uml mnklnB of Individual
agreements and contract In the mining of coal shall bo prohibited.
The anthracite miners ask for a two-year agreement, beginning
and ending simultaneously with the agreements in the bituminous
field a business arrangement that is shown by actual experience
in the bituminous field to threaten a bi-ycarly disturbance of the
peace and prosperity of thcv miners, operators, and general public. '
The United States Government reports show that the time lost by
strikes and suspensions, due to expiration of wage agreements in the bitu
minous coal field, between 1900 and 1912, in the years in which new agree
ments were negotiated, was 81,362,264 working days a lost in earning
capacity approaching U,0 labor cost of dinging another Panama Canal.
The loss of time in those years in which no wage agreements were nego
tiated was less than one-tenth (1-10) as great.
In 1902, after a strike of six months' duration, the President of the United
States appointed a commission, consisting of Judge George Gray as chair
man, with Carroll D. Wright, U. S. Commissioner of Labor: the Right Rev.
John L. Spaulding, Brig. Gen. John M. Wilson, Edgar E. Clark, then head
of the Railway Conductors; Thomas H. Watkins, a coal operator, and Edward
W. Parker, Statistician of the U. S. Geological Survey, and instructed them
as follows:
White House,
Washington, October 23, 1902.
To the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission,
Gentlemen:
At the request both of the operators and the miners, I have appointed
you a Commission to inquire into, consider and pass upon the questions in
controversy in connection with the strike in the anthracite region, and the
causes out of which the controversy arose. By the action you recommend,
which the parties in interest have in advance consented to abide by, you will
endeavor to establish the relations between the employers and the wage
earners in the anthracite fields on a iust and permanent basis, and. as far as
possible, to do away with any .causes for the recurrences of such difficulties as
those which you have been called in to settle. I submit to you herewith the
published statement of the operators, following which I named you as mem
bers of the Commission. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
This Commission made a thorough investigation of labor conditions
lasting four months, and its award, except as modified in the additional con
cessions given to'the miners from time to time, is still in effect. It has pro
duced prosperity and reasonable ind-tstrial peace throughout thr anthracite
region. The anthracite operators believe that the industrial disturbances
incident to bi-ycarly contracts are an unnecessary evil, expensive to
miners, operators, and the public alike, and that reasonable adjustments
can be made from time to time witho'U the necessity of periodical disturb
ances, if the automatic method of the sliding scale, a profit-sharing plan estab
lished by the Commission and abolished at the demand of the miners in
1912, is restored.
The sliding scale guaranteed the miners a minimum wage, but granted
them an increase of 1 in their wage for each increase of 5 cents a ton in
the price of domestic coal at New York, which was the basing point. '
Present Agreement Protects Individual
Under the present agreement it is provided that all new work shall be
paid for at a rate not less than the rate paid for old work of a similar kind
and character.
Under this provision the operator may contract with his employes for
the prosecution of such work as is not specifically provided for in the rates
already established, paying therefor a rate which will give to his employes not
less than the standard of wages paid for old work for which rates have already
been established. . s
In case1 of dispute the agreement provides that the fairness of the rate
is subject to the review of the Board of Conciliation.
The operators hold that it is their unquestioned right to make any change
in the method of mining, or the conduct of their min!ng onerations. which
will secure additional safety to their employes or greater efficiency in their
methods of production, provided that said change does not result in any re
duction of wages to their employes below those rates establirhed by the award
of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission and the agreements subsequent
thereto.
i
Miners' Demand No. 2
We demand an Inprenso of 20 per cent, on oil wage rates now bclnc paid In
the anthraclto coal fields.
Household Coal 60c a Ton Increase
The miners have made a demand for an increase in wages to the
extent of twenty (20) per cent. The present cost for labor alone of
anthracite is approximately $1.80 a ton. An advance of twenty (20)
per cent, in wages would mean an increase of thirty-six (36) cents
in the cost of every ton of anthracite produced.
The annual production of anthracite amounts to about 80,000,000 long
tons, of which sixty (60) per cent, is for domestic use. The steam sizes,
comprising forty (40) per cent, of the total (in the nature of a by-product),
are sold for the best price obtainable in competition with bituminous coal.
The cost of producing all sizes is the same. The revenue received from
the steam sizes is far below the cost of mining and, therefore, the coal
used by householders and other consumers of domestic sizes of anthra
cite must be sold at a price which will produce, when added to the receipts
from steam coal, a reasonable profit on the entire production. This demand
is equivalent to approximately sixty (60) cents a ton increase In the cost of
the domestic sizes of anthracite.
Miners' Earnings Over 36 Per Cent. Increase
The miners justify this demand as follows: "Wages which were below
normal increased five and one-half per cent, in twelve (12) years and food
forty (40) per cent. Surely this constitutes the basis for an even greater
demand than was made."
The Anthracite Coal vStrike Commission, after careful investigation,
stated "As tt the general contention that the rates for contract miners
in the anthracite region are, lower than those paid in the bituminous region
for work substantially similar, or lower than are paid in other occupations
requiring equal skill and training, the Commission finds that there has been
a failure to produce testimony to substantiate cither of these propositions."
The Commission found that the average annual earnings of the contract miner
in 1901 were $560.00; in thesame year the average working time of anthracite
collieries was 196 days of ten hours each; In 1902 the miners were given a
ten (10) per cent, advance plus a sliding scale; in 1912 they were given an
other ten (10) per cent.' advance, the sliding scale being abolished at the
request of the miners, making a total net increase in 1912 as compared with
1901 of twenty-one (21) per cent. In 1914, a normal year of mining opera
tions, the average working time of anthracite collieries was 245 days of
nine hours each. The anthracite miner, therefore. hs received an 'advance
in his opportunity for earning due to the increased time worked by anthra
cite collieries of twelve and one-half (12J4) per cent, over and above his
wage increases. The anthracite miner who In 1901 earned $560.00 annually,
if he now works with the same energy as he did at that time, would earn
$762,30 annually, an increased earning capacity of thirty-six (36) per cent.
In the case of day labor in and around the anthracite mines, such em
ployes were awarded by the Commission. In 1902, the same rate for nine
hours' work that they had previously received for ten hours. Between 1902
and 1912 they were benefited to the extent of the increased working time
and the sliding scale. In 1912 they were given a flat increase of ten (10)
per cent, on the rates of 1902. Under the circumstances this class of labor
has, through increased opportunity for work ana increased rates of
advanced its earning capacity thirty-seven and one-half (37) per
pay.
cent.
The miners claim that food costs forty (40) per cent, more than at the
time the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission made it3 award. Were this
the fact the reports of the United States Bureau of labor show, that the
cost of food represents forty (40) per cent, of the workman'3 cost of living
for himself and his family. This would indicate an increase of only sixteen
(16) per cent, in his total cost of living, as compared with an increase of
over thirty-six (36) pen cent, in his earning capacity.
Since the 1912 agreement, which was accepted by both parties, It has
been shown by evidence presented before the Board of Arbitration In the
matter of the strike of the employes of the Wilkes-Barrc Railway Company
in 1915, that from 1912 to 1915 the cost of living had increased onlv three
and one-tenth (3 1-10) per cent., including the cost of food, fuel, rent, clothing,
taxes, insurance, social and religious organizations, tobacco and periodicals,
etc. Rent, so far as the miner is concerned, has not materially changed.
The increase in the opportunity for earnings as compared with the in
crease in the, cost of living combine to make the increased prosperity of the
anthracite miner far in advance of other classes of labor. The greatly in
creased deposits since 1902 in the banking institutions of the anthracite re
gion, as well as the increased ownership of homes by mine workers, bear out
this statement.
Miners' Dcmnnd No. 3
We demand an ciRht-hour dn for nil day Inlmr employed In and around
the mlnrfl, tho present rntcH to he tho haul upon whl.lt the ndvnnin uboo
demanded shall apply, with time and li.ilr time for overtime mid douhlo time
fur Sundajn and liolllaa.
Users of Domestic Sizes Would Bear the Burden
The miners demand an eight-hour day as the maximum for all
labor in and out the mines. This demand is not made for the con
tract miner, who suits his own convenience as to his working time
and rarely labors more than six or seven hours daily.
The Anthracite Coal Strike Commission awarded an eight-hour day,
without loss of daily wage, to those classes of workmen such as firemen and
certain engineers whose labor was sufficiently burdensome to warrant it.
Other classes of labor work a nine-hour day.
To reduce the maximum number of hours which a breaker may work
each day, as demanded by the miners, will certainly reduce the capacity of
the anthracite mines and will surely increase the danger of a coal shortage
at the time of year when an increased production is required by the consumers
of coal.
The employes in the anthracite mines have abundant opportunity
for social recreation. If the higher cost or living is the reason for the de
mands of the anthracite employes, the workmen certainly should be will
ing to give the same thrift, time and energy as heretofore. There is nothing
in this demand which will increase their annual compensation. .On the
other hand, the cost of maintaining, pumping out, ventilating and timbering
the anthracite mines is a continuous expense, and any reduction in output of
the mines must increase the cost of producing coal.
Miners' Demand No. 4
Wo demand full and complete remKidtlnn of the United Mlno Workers of
America of DIxlili'tH Nr,. I, - und l. Anthracite.
The Same Objections Still Obtain
A complete recognition of the United Mine Workers of Amer
ica of Districts Nos. 1, 7 and 9 is demanded. The Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission declared that the constitution of the United Mine
Workers did not offer inviting inducements to enter into contractual
relations with it, and the Commission declined to order the recog
nition of the Union.
The operators asserted at that time, and they continue to assert,, that
they have no objection to their employes joining union or labor organizations.
Under the award of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission there is no
discrimination between union and non-union men. The operators believe
that the rights of organized labor are fully protected by the open-shop prin
ciple established by the Commission, which declined to approve a "closed
shop' arrangement, such as is now proposed, involving practically the com
pulsory membership of all employes in an organization. In the words of
the Commission, "the contention that a majority of employes, by voluntarily
forming a union acquire authority over others is untenable" and as Abraham
Lincoln said, "No man is good enough to govern another man without that
other's concent."
Their further unwillingness to recognize and deal with the United Mine
Workers, as then and as at present constituted, was based on the fact that
the majority of the members of the union were employed in the bituminous
coal fields, that the organization was officered chiefly by bituminous coal
men, and that to deal with them would be dealing with an organization
controlled by men engaged in a rival industry. The Commission based its
award upon those contentions which were sustained by evidence and upon
the fact that the local unions in the anthracite field were, to some extent,
controlled by the votes of youne boys lacking in experience, wanting In
judgment, and, so far. irresponsible. The reforms in the. constitution of
the United Mine Workers, which were recommended by the Commission,
have not been effected. It is unreasonable to subject the anthracite region
to the politics of an organization absolutely controlled from the outside.
The full rrcopnition of th union, ns demanded bv the miners, involves the
"check off," which means the compulsory collection by the operators of such
dues, assessments, fines, etc., ns may be assessed against the miners by union
officials, an un-American practice.
-y
Our investigations in the bituminous field fail to show any place where
recognition of the United Mine Workers of America has secured the com
mon benefits the elimination of strikes, promotion of peace, and the speedy
settlement of disputes which It is claimed will be accomplished if granted,
for the anthracite region.
Miners'
We demand a more idinplllled,
Grievances.
Demand No. S
speedy and t-atlafaclory method of adjusting
A Misleading Statement
The. miners give as a reason for this demand that the present
system, "Growing out of contract provision between miners and
operators is antiquated."
This explanation is not in strict accordance with the facts. The present
method of settling differences has not grown out of contract provisions
between miners and operators. It was imposed upon the miners and oper
ators in the anthracite region by the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission as
a part of its award, which provided a Board of Conciliation, through tbe
operation of which strikes and lock-outs should become unnecessary.
This Board consists of six permanent members, three elected by the
.miners and three elected by the operators, and an umpire appointed when
the members disagree by the President Judge of United States Court of
Appeals of the Third Judicial Circuit. The umpires so appointed have been
Hon. Carroll D. Wright, Hon. Charles P. Neill, former U, S. Commissioners
of Labor, and Hon, George Gray, of Delaware.
Iri the 1912 agreement the miners insisted upon a departure from the
method of settling grievances established by the Commission. This change
provided for grievance committees at every colliery, which should consider
with the company officials grievances originated by the miners. Instead
of promoting peace, however, the activities of these committees have in
creased tbe number of local strikes throughout the region, in violation of
the letter and spirit of the agreement, by almost ten-fold.
The operators believe it better to abolish the grievance committees and
return absolutely to the method established by the Anthracite Coal Strike
Commission. The Board of Conciliation established by it provides an open
court and a simple and efficient method for the adjustment of difficulties that
cannot be settled immediately by the miner with the -local official of the
company. The work of the Board of Conciliation has stood the test of
thirteen (13) years; it is held up by economists and students of labor prob
lems, both here and abroad, as a model, and It is believed that any further
departure from the rules laid down by the Commission will be a decided step
backward and an encouragement to labor troubles In the anthracite field.
Some complaints have been made over delays in securing action by the Board,
but its decisions have always dated hack to the time when the grievance was
first raised, and no man has suffered loss On account of the time required for
its proper adjudication. We are not aware of any court of last resort in the
country which has cleared its calendar more thoroughly or more pomptly.
It is impossible to decide these controversies at sight. Some Investiga
tion and earnest consideration is required to decide any controversy. The
law's delays have been a fruitful source of complaint from time immemorial;
but human wisdom has never been able to devise a system of administering
justice which docs not involve time for investigation, when the passions
aroused by the controversy have subsided, and time fdven for calm delib
eration; all of which arc essential to secure righteous judgment.
Miners Demand
We demand that no innlruit miner shall
ono uorMns place.
No. G
bo permitted to hae tnoro than
A Demand That Would Destroy Ambition
This demand is apparently intended to limit the earning capacity
of the more efficient miner, who, in reality, acts in the capacity of a
general contractor. There can be no well-founded objection to the
system for the reason that the agreement of 1912 distinctly provides
that "the rates paid by any contract miner to his employes shall not
be less than the standard rate for that class of work."
This arrangement was satisfactory to the miners in 1912. Conditions
have not chanced, and we believe that any individual who desires to take
contracts of this nature, and by his ability and energy is able to increase
his earnings, should be encouraged in his ambition and not fettered by
rules and regulations to the contrary.
."
Miners' Demand No. 7
Wo demand that the selllnc prlco of mlnlnB supplies to miners bo fixed on
s a moro equitable und uniform basis. t
Mining Supplies
This demand refers to the price of mining supplies, mainly ex
plosives and oil. To safeguard the lives of the miners and protect
the mines it is necessary to have explosives and oil standard in char
acter. The operator is responsible for accidents, and, therefore, must
necessarily purchase and distribute proper supplies to the miners.
They are sold at little advance over their cost and expense of hand
ling, and at the present time the cost of some of these supplies to the
operator is greater than the price at which he sells them to the miner.
Miners' Demand No. 8
We demand that wherever roaT Id mined by tho car nil coal shall h
wrlRheil nnd bo pnld for n n mlno run basis by tho ton of 21110 poundu, ami
shall bo paid for dirt and rock.
A. Great Expense Without Gain for Anyone
The subject of this demand represents another case where the
Anthracite Coal Strike Commission declined to interfere with estab
lished custom. In rendering its decision the Commission said it
was "not prepared to say that the change, to payment by weight
based on 2,240-pound ton, when the price would necessarily be ad
justed to the number of pounds, would prove of sufficient benefit to
the miner to compensate for the expense and trouble thereby imposed
upon the operators, now paying by the car."
There has been no change in methods and the same argument applies
with equal force today. A car of fixed capacity is certainly a standard of
measure, just as tbe quart and peck are standards in trade.
The price paid per car has been fixed on the basis of coal cleaned to
within a fixed limit of impurities. For veins carrying a large amount of refuse
material, either the price per car has been adjusted to meet the condition
or the miner is paid a special consideration for eliminating dirt and rock.
Under these circumstances it is not necessary to hoist such refuse to the sur
face and go through the process of removal in the course of manufacture in
the breaker. Every well-managed business throws out waste, as soon as
possible; to do otherwise would be asking the public to pay a premium for
inefficient methods that were entirely unwarranted and unjustifiable.
Miners' Demand No. 9
n . Wo demand n readjustment of the machine mining scale to tho extent
equitable, rates nnd lomlltiuna shall obtain us u basis for this system. , - '
A Matter for Adjustment
The operators believe the rates now paid are fair, but if any
adjustment is necessary, there is no objection on their part to making
such changes as will give the machine mining men the opportunity
of earning wages that are equitable as compared with those of
equivalent occupations. '
Miners' Demand No. 10
We demand that tho arrangement of detailed wiiko scales and the fettle,
ment of Internal questions both n renard prices and conditions bo referred to
the representatives f ,the operators and miners of vuc.li district to be udju,ud
on an equitable basis.
Miners' Demands Will Abolish Arbitration
The miners justify this demand on the following ground:
"Miners and operators constitute the contracting parties for,the pur
pose of mining coal. It is absurd to refer differences arising from
this contractual relationship to parties other than their representatives."
Disputes between citizens over their contractual relations are settled by the
courts, and tbe judges, who are empowered by law to find and declare justice,
are not representatives of either party. The operators believe that dif
ferences between employers and their employes who are directly affected
should be settled by the interested parties, if possible. If they cannot agree,
they believe that the differences should be adjusted by the fair and open arbi
tration provided by the Board of Conciliation as established by the Anthra
cite Coal Strike Commission, by which the 368 cases that have come before
it have been satisfactorily adjudicated.
Finally
Every well-informed man who has made a study of conditions
in the anthracite field will agree that the anthracite industry as a
whole is now conducted on as low a margin of profit as is possible
if the operators are to continue to serve the public.
As any increase which may be granted must necessarily be
eventually paid by the heads of families and other users of anthra
cite, the operators, while desiring to deal justly with their em
ployes, deem it their plain duty to resist any unreasonable demands.
SC-VNTON COAL COMPANY, llr, $. I. DICKSON,
HUDSON COAI. CUMPINY, Jljr ALAN C, HUDSON.
I)UI.YV.ni:, LACKAWANNA WKSTUIIN pUMPANl,
lr IS. E. I.OOM18. Vlee-Prraldent.
rilU DUIjAWAIIU HUDSON COMPANY, Hy W, II.
M'IM'IAMS, Vlce-Prealdeut,
UltEEN 1IIDUU COAI, COMPANY, lljr W, I CONNELL,
Prcaldcut.
KINKSTUV COAI, CUMPANY, Ur 1 K.
, MauuKer.
.'1'IIB LEHIfill COAI. AND- NAVIGATION COMPANY,
S. II. AVAIUIINE1I, Prasldeut.
ZEIWBY, General
r
it CUMPANY, By P C, MADEinA,
LEIIIfill VALLEY
Vlcc-Prrsldrut.
LEIIIttll AND WILKES-UAIUIE
C, r. 1IUUEII, President.
COAI. COMPANY, U, !'. 51. CHASE.
COAI. COMPANY. Uy
MADniHA, HIM,
l'resldrut.
U. II. MAUKI.E COMPANY, My JUIIN MAUKLE, Presi
dent. A. PA1IDEE COMPANY, Hi- 1'IIANK PAItDEK.
PENNSYLVANIA COAL, COMPANY, Ujr W. A. MAY, Prea-
Ideut.
THE PHILADELPHIA Jk IlEVDINfi COAL AND IRON
COMPANY, Uy W. J. IUCIIAHDS, I'rrsldrut,
SUSQUEHANNA COAL COMPANY, lly 'MOIIHIS WIL
LIAMS, Prraldrut.
TEMPLE COAL COMPANY, Hy S. H. TJIOIt.Ni:. President,
J. S. AVHNTV5 COMPANY, Ur D. II, 1VUNTZ,
WEST END COAL CUMPANY, Ur C D. SIMPSON,
WHITNEY UEMMUIIEII, Ilr J. L. KEMMEHEIt.
Committee Representing Anthracite Operators
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