Definite Proposals

Governor Gifford Pinchot of Pennsylvania last week came forward with definite proposals for ending the anthracite coal strike. He invited the miners and operators to meet him at Harrisburg. The miners went, but the operators sent word that they could not get their committee together on such brief notice. So the operators did not attend.

Pinchot Proposals. Before the miners' committee headed by John L. Lewis, representatives of local Chambers of Commerce, state officers, and Mrs. Pinchot (who was present as a spectator, the meeting being public), the Governor made his proposals, of which the following are the chief features:

1) There shall be no increase of anthracite prices by reason of the agreement.

2) The agreement shall be for at least five years.

3) A Board of Investigation and Award (consisting of two miners, two operators and three others chosen jointly by them) shall decide within six months whether the operators can pay increased wages at previous local prices.

4) Mining shall be resumed at once, and if the Board of Investigation and Award shall fix increased wages, the increase shall be retroactive. The Board," however, would not have the power to reduce wages.

5) The Board would make recommendations to prevent future strikes.

6) The operators would not be required to collect union dues out of miners' wages (the "check-off"-- a demand made by the miners), but they would make such collections on voluntary assignments made by individual miners.

The Nature of the Compromise. The miners wanted a 10% increase in wages; the operators refused any increase; the compromise leaves the question to arbitration. The miners proposed an investigation of the operators' capacity to pay higher wages and refused arbitration; the operators proposed arbitration, but dislike opening their records to investigation; the compromise proposes both by one board. The miners demanded the checkoff; the operators refused it; the compromise proposes a modified check-off.

The Prospect, The miners' committee met the day after hearing the proposals. They issued a statement "accepting" the proposals "as a basis for settlement," and announced their readiness to discuss them with the operators. Major William W. Inglis, head of the operators' committee, said, "We see nothing. . . calling for speedy action on our part. We will not be stampeded."

Next day the operators' scale committee rejected Governor Pinchot's proposed Board of Investigation and Award, on the ground that it "has power to do but one thing--increase wages."