Evening star., 1919-11-12
Owners and Union
Officers Coming
Here Friday.
LEWIS AGAINST
BREWSTER'S MOVE
New Scale, Effective
Immediately,
Is Sought.

SPRINGFlFLD. lil.s >ONeAAi"SA ~
Original demands of a 60 per
cent incrense in wages, sfx-hour
working day and a five-day week
will be presented to operators ny
mine workers in the joint scale
conferences called for Friday IN
washineton Mt the instance OF
Secretary Of Labor Wilson. nccord-
ing to Frank harrington, chairman
of the miners scale committee
who came here today. en- route to
the National Capital.
Asked whether the miners would
obey the strike-rescindtng order
of acting President Lewis, Frank
harrington said:
"In my Judgment. the miners
will not return to work." He added
however, that he spoke for the IL
Iinois district, of which he is pres
ident.
FarrinEton said the impression
Tint the "slate had been wiped
cIcan~ so far rs demands were
concerned had NO basis In fact, al
though the miners stood ready to
negotiate a new scale without res
ervatiOns.
sThe old demands will stand"
Mr. Harrington stated. "They
were formulated by the Cleveland
convention. All of them. however,
are subject to negotiations
Thomas T Brewster. chairman of
Ia fae
today that the mine own
ers have accepted Secretary Wilson'S
invitation to meet representatives OF
the miners here Friday, to negotiate a
new wage agreement.
I'VE will be there" said he.
Harry n. Taylor, president of the
National Coal Association, also ac-
cepteds Secretary Wilson's invitation
today and will meet here Friday with
other representatives of the operators
and the officials of the miners union.
Declines Brewster's Invitation.
John L. Lewis, acting president of
the United Mine Workers of America,
already had notified Secretary Wilson
of his acceptance, meanwhile declin-
ing an offer from Brewster to meet
the latterS committee here Monday to
negotiate "a contract to be in force
upon the termination of the contract
now in effect"
Spokesman for the miners said today
this proposition would not be con-
sidered for a moment. and that the
only way to bring peace to the coal
fields was through adoption of a pay
IL % S11y t1lr
"Working Under a Contract"
I'VE are working under a contract" )"
declared Thomas ]. Brewster, chair
man of the coal operators scale COM
mittee. when asked this afternoon
what the stand of the operators will
be in the conference to be held here
between operators and miners. 1t has
been asserted that the wartime con-
tracts are held still in force by the
operators, and that the miners deny
this.
Whether this issue will lead to con-
flict at the conference Mr.. Brewster
would not state, nor would any of the
other operators who met at the Wash
ington Hotel today to consider the
The contract between the operators
and miners does not go out of effect
until March 81, 1920, Mr.. Brewster de-
clared. The operators, who come from
many. coal fields. are holding informal
around table conferences.
Mr.. Lewis Telegram.
Mr.. Lewis telegram accepting Sec
retary Wilson's invitation was made
public today by the Secretary 1t fol-
lows:
Your telegram of even date, invit-
ing the scale committee of the central
field and representatives
of AL bituminous districts involved in
the strike to meet with you next Fri
day. at Washington, is received. Your
was submitted to our con-
ference now in session in Indianapolis.
and / am authorized to say representa-
tives of all mine workers will be pres
ent on that date"
Fuel for Emergency Use.
Release of coal to meet emergency
needs was begun today by the rail-