Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-25

Scale Committees Conference
Adjourns When Workers An.
nounce Decision After 0per-
ators Accept Arbitration.
CHARGES FLY THICK AND
FAST AS MEETING ENDS
President Pleads for Keeping
/, Mines Open and Points Out
What WaIkout Would Mean
to Humanity.

"oohihSh hoi, vi. ST.- IlC last
government effort to avert the coal
strike, set for November I, failed
utterly tonight, and 100000 miners
will quit work on te very eve of
winter, with the nations bins run
ing dangerously low.
Even an appeal from President
Wilson was not enough to bring
peace to conference that was torn
and on the breaking point half a
dozen times during the day. Charges
and counter charges flew thick and
fast as the groups of operators and
miners filed out Of the meeting
which began somewhat hopefully
four days ago.
Operators Accept Plan.
> While tie operators announced
that they had accepted the presi-
dents offer to wipe the slate clean
and negotiate q new wage agree
ment, the, miners charged that the
operators had bolted without the
consent of Secretary OF Labor Will
son, the storm center of an extra
ordinary fight to save the country
untold distress and suffering.
Surrounded by a score of miners,
John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers of America.
hurried out of the hall and halted
long enough to announce that the
strike order stood, and that the
miners would walk out after fulls
days work on the closing day Of
the present month. The final break
ing ,rpsof the conference, Lewis said,
meant that official notice of the fail
ure, would be sent forthwith to the
unions everywhere to order the
men out of the mines at the ap-
pointed hour.
Appealed From Sickbed.
The presidents appeal follows:
Il have been watching with deep
and sincere interest your efforts to
bring about just settlement of the
differences between the operators
and the coal miners in the bitumin-
Gus coal fields of the country. It is
10 be hoped that the good judgment
that has Been exercised by both
operators and miners in years gone
by in the adjustment of their differ
ences will again prevail in the pres !
ent crisis. All organized society is
dependent upon the maintenance of
the fuel supply for the continuance
of its existence. The government
has appealed with success to other
classes OF workers to postpone SINH
lar questions until a reasonable adj
justment could be arrived at.
Duty to Humanity.
with the parties of this contro--
versy rests the responsibility of see
ing that the fuel supply of the ma
tion is maintained At this time
when the world is in need of more
supplies it would be cruel neglect
them.
Il have read with interest the
suggestion made by you that the
wage scale committee of the op-
orators and miners go into confer
ence without reservation for the pur-
pose of negotiating an agreement 4
though no demands had been made
Or rejected, having due regard to
the interests of their respective
groups. am in accord with that
suggestion. No body of men knows
better the details, intricacies and
:echnicalities of mining than do the
miners and operators. No BODY of
men can work out the details Of the
wage scale on a more euuitable
,asis. Their Judgment would I'M
louDtedly be based upon sum total
y knowledge Of the industry.
Whatever their differences NAV be
10 matter how widely divergent
heir viewpoints may be from each
'ther, it is a duty that they owe 80
iety to make an earnest effort -
legotiate those differences and -
,eep the mines of our country II
peration. =
Public Interest Paramount
After all, the public interest in
MS vital matter is the paramount
onsideration of the government and
dmits OF no other action than that
I consideration of peaceful SET
cement OF the matter as suggested
y you. 1t tor any reason the miners
nd operators fail to come to ! mn
nal understanding the interests a.
ne public are of such vital impor-
ance IN connection with the pro-
uction OF coal that it is incumbent
pom them to refer the matter 81
ispute. to board of arbitration for
etermination and to continue sthe
Reration OF the mines pending the \
eeision Of the hoard.n y