Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-10-24
SLENDER HOPES
TO AVERT COAL
STRIKE REMAIN
Miners and Operators Agree to
One More Conference to
BE Held Today.
STRIKE ORDER STANDS
SAYS PRESIDENT LEWIS
Comhatant Sides Meet Today With
No Progress Towards Settlement
Having Been Made-Secretary
Wilson's Appeal.

Washington, Oct. ga dramatic
appeal by Secretary of Labor Wilson,
/ himself miner, prevented an open
break tonight between miners and
operators, almost ready to go home
after failing to settle the strike OF
| half million soft coal miners set for
ten days hence.
1t was near the end of long and
heated session at which the miners
formally rejected one plan of settle
ment and refused to arbitrate wages,
that the secretary, taking hold of
slender thread, brought the two sides
together, and kept them here for an
other conference tomorrow.
AS members of the two groups,
weary after three days of argument
and wrangling, left the meeting place,
they refused to hazard an opinion as
to whether the strike could be avert
ed. In some quarters. however there
was a more hopeful view than hereto
fore. Secretary Wilson. bit hoarse
after long pleading with the factions
for consideration of the public's
rights, actually seemed cheerful
Much of this feeling was due to the
fact that he had persuaded the war;
ring factions to make another at
tempt to restore peace to the indus
try. at the very moment they were
ready to quit
"The miners rejected and the oper-
ators neither rejected nor accepted NV
first proposal for settlement of their
troubles" Secretary Wilson said to-
night. "They now have before them
for consideration, proposition sub
mitted by me that they go into con-
ference with each other, without res
ervation as if no den'ands had honn
made or refused. having in mind the
/ interests of their resnective groups.
Strike Order Stands.
"The miners are wilin~ tn do that,
and tho onerators are Willin~. pro-
vidod tho strike order is withdrawn"
John r.. Lewis. president of the
Tinted Mine Workers Of America.
leading from the conference, group
of his men sold:
"rha strife order stands"
Thomas 7. brewster. head OF the
coal operators association. leaving
the meeting with party If his asso-
ciatns stopped Ion" enough to sew.
GIVE are inst where we started
Put ont of the mass Of conflicting
CLAWS there seems hotter chance
+oni~ht that Secrotarv Wilson mipht
he able to hiring the miners and oper-
atcre to"cther.
All efforts tn have the two sides ar
hitra+o their diffnrnrces fell down.
Mr.. Wilson evnlained that eorlv IN
the meetinc the ororators nronos"d
tn submit the question If iperoased
wa~es, after evpira+ion If tho rrosant
contract. to hoard of arbitration.
Onlv the question of waocs Voc +o be
considered but Lewis ~eincted it.
Meet Apain Todav-
"Tn the LANGUAGE Of .Judro Elhart
n. Carv I c"rnot discuss arbitration
at this time" Lewis shouted. and the
tall tl,~rnd in other directions
i Mr.. Wilson suggested formally that
all the questions in disppta hn snb-
ro;++ed tn arbitration. brit both sides
roionted It so n,1icllv that it 1ool,od as
If thew he'd reached tho reel end of
attcrnr+s tn brir~ about mace
All the time. however Mr. WILSON
was breakino into the discussin, with
r1nas for tho neOr1o. for some thought
of their RIGHTS, with Grim word pie
tire If what would coma v,;+', the
shutting down If mines nnd holt the
COUNTRY short of coal When he laid
his new proposal before the confer
ence, ureinr miners and operators to
sIonu over ~ ard return with an in
c'iration and willingness to give and
take.
The prc,,ps senara+ed. Lewis loadjno
ono and brewster the other. and for
half an how. they talked low ard
earnestly. Finally, IT. was aornad TO
meet Jointly with the secretary to-
morrow morning.
Replying to arreals from several
safes that some Of the mines he kent
onnr to sunplv nnhlic institutions and
utilities. officers of the miners organ
izp+inrs said:
"This is someth'n~ with which of
icers of tho association have nothing
to do ard the rlieht that tho states
NAV find +hamsalves in after Novera-
her I will be duo TO their own fault
and to the fault of the coal operators"
Peoria. Ill.,. Oct. 22-FoIlowinp the
withdrawal cf the labor gronr from
the Industrial Conference at Wash
; inoton the Illinois Federation of La
hor in convention this morninr. a,,-.
+horized the sendinc Of message to
Samuel Gcn1rers president of the
!. American Federation of Labor. and to
mer,bers Of the executive council.
ur~ino the Immediate issuance Of
: call for snecial convention Of the
A,rerican Federation Of Labor IN
Washington.