New-York tribune., 1919-10-18
Secretary Wilson. After
a Fruitless Conference.
Calls Mime Seal g
Boards for Tuesday
Side VIII
Budsc an Inch
Miners Insist on Five
Day Week and Oper-
ators Com plain Of
Broken Contra cts

WASHINGTON Oct. l7.-Failing
after an all dav conference TO avert a
strike of nearly half million
btuminous coal miners. called for the
very eve of winter, Secretary Of Labor
Wilson tonight invited the miners and
operators to send their full scale com
mittees to Washington next Tuesday,
when another eeoit 20 briIg about
peace in the industry viii be made.
Both sides accepted the invitation.
This did not offer any great hope. how
ever, for representatives Of the
operators stood firm ia their 4 ter
mination not 10 negotiate any demand
for six-hour day, and not 70 deal
with the unions unless the strike. set
for November !. was called or
Thinks Conference Useless
John L. Lewis acting presiaent Of
the United Mine Workers Of America,
whose word probably would swing the
unions one way or the other. showed
he was laooring under strain when
he left the three-cornerrd meeting.
He said he had told Secretary MI
son that his wage scale committee
would be here Tuesday. but that il
would be useless to reconvene the
joint interstate ware conference "un-
less the operators changed their stone
wall attitude" and indicated d wiling
ness 10 frame another agreement
Thomas T. brewster. Chairman - -he
coal operators Of the central cor peti-
tive coal fields. which embrace iii
nois. Indiana. Ohio and We Bonn
sylvania, after sitting through the day
at table with Secretary Wilson and
Mr.. Lewis. hurried away from the Sec
retary's office and refuse 20 talk. He
sent word to Mr.. Wilson his scale COM
mittce would be on hand for the joint
conference.
Wilson Urges Negotiation
At the outset Secretary Wilson. sit
ting between Lewis and Brewster.
urged them 10 resume negotiations, and
reconvene the JOINT wage conference.
pointing out that he was mahirg his
effort by direction Of the Presidents
cabinet Lewis Indicated the grounds
on which the miners would negotiate,
and after recess Brcwe+er returned
with an outline Of the conditions under
which the operators would DC tat same.
These We're:
indication Of Willingness on the
part of the miners 20 carry oui tie
existing contract. which forms fael
Administrator Garfield "aitests IS
still in effect
Resembling of the strike order "a
continuation of work pending neeon-
atoms.
Understanding thar fbe nceotia-
tions do not contonp ate amy reduce
tions in hours OF labor bc'ow tne
present standard of eight noaTs .
day, six days week.
Claims Contract Violation
On the heels of this, Rrceeiofs
statement, addres sod 20 Sccref rr ~
son, sharply attacked collective bar
gaining
"As pertinent % The quest in-
volved," he wrote, IN. operator drraa
it advisable 10 say that the coal oa-
orators Of the central compe t.fe fe|d
nave adhered TO the Ir.lc. p'.s aal
practices Of collective bargain ne Corr
thirty-three years witn tie iafeosf Body
O. organized labor IN the jniteo .atr-.
and II Is our opinion tnat orr scale
negotiations have broken wa and
that our contract mas been ahr,Fate.
by the miners union in their caS for
strike November j. because tire prs
ent system o. collective harsa ming
does not fix equa. Responsibility andcr
the law upon tie employer and tie
labor union.
Our experience teaches as that no
set of employers ~ro.id a~~ec 20 a
system o col -ective bnr a.uing 1a.ca
does not NIKE hoth parties % the con-
tract equally hao.e a.d res2ors bic
for the observance o. t-e teims o such
contract.
Finds Meeting iraitless
Apparently andine tNa. 40 hea IVA
cou % be made n aet Only
Brewster and Lewis. ~.ei,ta-y A "a
,hen suGest Ted d nleet.n, of ln-
four members a., tne mixers ard oy-
orators scale can mlttcc.-
The mperciaf .atDr q uto Id
possible stIike in ne n.tas..i'. ce4i
fields o. t.e 'titoa STATES Fsi
Importance 20 g.. of tse oH.t. air.
Wilson sad. "As tfc ,Nccl.lse ot'c.r
OF the go.arrl.cnt .Itru .rI f.e
function e. mediation 30 -ufn a4.nstrs
feel tna. nothing snou'd De- .flr ua-
cone that ia.-. give hope - .s -.-alc-
able ad Y fn-nt o. the di,~rfees tN-
sting between TN oTeratots ana
miners.
= realize taa a.taea .i-s .o te aTof-
come, anl .Ye I2il we.-l' t4 t.e '-te-
ment Of tne coal operator 'tcf rCI-
-ain as uI4nces lela.'Vc 3D. ,.rrgil.., 9aL
Of existing coutrac.s. tbs rs-cfnd4a-. u
the strike order ana the " ..lE...al ei
demand %. shorter Aor. .-4 must
be given by the r-presen .ati.es g. tae
miners before aeEo' iAtloas can ?. re-
newed and the statemen, 81 the u.llrs
that there must ho Gls~o- 70
really negotiate on tfe part er tAc
operators before j. would he worth
wh.le for them 70 go .nto conference.
J am sure. however. tAGt there ca oe
no objection on rhe part O. cithc- dc
20 meet with the Secretary % Labor
Tor the purpose Of discussing with ma
all o. the matters involved II he DIS
pute'
Miners Not To keccde
Coming out Of tn meeting. Lewis
said:
The positionAf the ninr workers is
unchanged We shave waived no de