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THREATENED SUSPENSION OF TEN THOUS­
AND EMPLOYES OF THE ROCHESTER
C&, PITTSBURGH COAL CSt, IRON CO. AND
ALLIED INTER-ESTS IN THE CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA FIELDS IS AVERTED—
TEXT OF AGREEMENT INVOLVING SOME
ARBITRATION.
A contest over alleged non-payment of the
Altoona scale by the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal
& Iron Co., and allied interests affiliated with the
Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad, in the
Central Pennsylvania field, which threatened a suspension
of about 10,000 men, has been adjusted by
an agreement between Manager L. W. Robinson
and his subordinates and representatives of the
miners' organization. The text of the compact
follows:
PUNXSUTAWNEY. PA., NOV. 3, 1905.
To the local miners of the Sub-District No. 5, of
District No. 2, U. M. W. of A., greeting:
The following agreement was reached between
L. W. Robinson and his superintendents and the
officials of your organiaztion.
1. Scale prices will be paid to all inside day
labor wherever we can show that the scale is
not paid, the price will be restored at once.
All men making the claim that they are not paid
tne scale price must notify the committee at once.
2. The reduction made OTI outside tipple men
that was reduced below the $1.85 basis contrary
to our scale agreement will be settled by arbitration,
company to select two men, the miners'
union two. Decision will be final. The arbitrators
will be appointed at once.
3. The price specified in the agreement must,
and will be paid to all men digging and loading
coal.
4. All contracts will be abolished where proof
is given that such contracts exist, contrary to our
agreement.
5. That where any complaint has been made
about the cars being improperly weighed, the
ma/tter will be adjusted by officers oi the organization
and company officials, making a test and
if the cars are found to be incorrectly weighed
then the cars will be stopped to allow them to be
correctly weighed to the satisfaction of the checkweighman.
6. The dockage system will be adjusted by two
company officials and two men appointed by the
union.
7. That in pillars where men are unable to use
the machine the matter must, be taken up by the
mine boss and miner, and if they settle that the
place cannot be cut by the machine, the miner
must be paid pick price.
All men that have any complaint to make about
being unable to use the machine shall report their
I CONTINUED ON PAGE 48 I.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 29
DELVING INTO PURPOSES AND QUESTIONS
APROPOS THE FORTHCOMING CON­
FERENCE OF BITUMINOUS COAL
OPERATORS.'
An official of an association of bituminous coal
mine operators—an association representing an
output of forty million tons annually, an association
which does not recognize the miners' union,
was asked why he did not adopt the system of
joint trade agreements, and in reply made this
clear, forceful statement:
"Our operators firmly maintain their right to
employ labor without the intervention of a third
party. We recognize that the inherent fault in
a contract directed by a third party is the operator's
inability to enforce it, the impossibility of
the operator recovering for any damage which
may be occasioned through the failure of their
side to perform that contract, and the ease with
which the other side may enforce it by compelling
the operator to lose either the interest on his
investment through a shutdown or to continue as
may be directed by it." In conclusion he says:
"Until these questions can be adjusted on a more
equitable basis the system of joint trade agreements
will not be acceptable to our people."
The reasons here given for not adopting the
system of joint trade agreements are the very
reasons why the operators now working under
this system of joint trade agreements feel that
the system cannot be long continued unless a more
equitable basis of adjustment is afforded. How to
provide this more equitable basis of adjustment
is one of the vital questions with which the meeting
of operators November 22 is to concern itself.
In his new novel, "The Plum Tree," David Graham
Phillips puts into the mouth of Senator
Harvey Sailer, the giant boss of the United States,
the following axiom: "Every man, even the laxest,
if he is to continue to 'count as one,' must have
a point where he draws the line beyond which he
will not go. The liar must have things he will
not lie about; the thief, things he will not steal;
the compromiser, things he will not compromise;
the practical man in the pulpit,- in politics, in
business, in the professor's chair, or editorial
tribune, things he will not sacrifice, whatever the
cost. That is 'practical honor.'
There is a line which the employer must not
cross; when he takes this stand his troubles will
largely disappear. The existing situation calls
for calm, deliberate, careful reasoning; it does not
call for any argument.
When we say that we are going to reason about
a thing we are going after the truth and when
we propose to argue a. case the idea is that we
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 45).
'Circular issued by Herman Justi, Commissioner, the Illinois
Coal Operators Association,