The Washington herald., 1919-10-25

tirety and to proceed to negotiate
and IL they failed to come to a con-
clusion to submit to arbitration-the
mines to be continued in opera tic N
pending an adjustment.
Accept Negotiation.
THE miners interpreted the letter
of the President to mean two separate
proposals. They were willing to ac-
cept the first, that is. to proceed to
negotiate.
The operators said that having OK
pressed their willingness to accept the
proposal OF the President in its en-
tirety they held themselves ready to
proceed with negotiations and arbi-
tration whenever called upon by the
Secretary of Labor or the miners scale
committee and with that statement
they withdrew.
he miners remained and expressed
their regret that negotiations could
not be proceeded with but declined to
go further and to proceed with nego-
tiations until it was determined that
the results of negotiations be success
full or unsuccessful. The conference
was adjourned without date
100000 Ordered Out.
Six hundred thousand men will
be directly affected by the coal
strike and every household and in
dustry in the country will feel the
pinch Of suffering IL 1t continues in
operation for any length of time.
As head of the mine workers
union. Mr.. Lewis made this state
ment last night:
The Presidents proposition, as
we understood it. reaffirmed the
suggestion of Secretary Wilson that
we agree to enter into a joint con-
ference, without reservations. hav-
ing in mind the best interests Of
our people.
'The miners formally accepted
that proposition The operators
Interpretation held that it involved
arbitration. We accepted the sug-
gestion to go into conference inn
mediately for negotiations.
"Mnde Honest Effort
I'VE have made every honest ef-
fort to avert the industrial catas-
trophe which will be imposed upon
the people by a coal strike. The
responsibility for this action is not
ours. We disclaim the responsible
ity. We are perfectly willing to be-
gin negotiations"
The operators had left the hear
ing room a half hour previous. and
their spokesman. Thomas F. Brew
ster. made only the statement that
I'VE have accepted the~ Presidents
proposal in it's entirety"
Secretary Of Labor Wilson was
worn and haggard when the miners
departed.
II did everything that 1 could
do" he said, ito bring the two sides
together"
rs there anything else that can
be done?" was asked.
81 haven't given up hope yet"
was his reply.
Many Leave City.
Many of the miners representatives
returned to their homes last night
to begin preparations for the strike,
and a group of the operators, bent
on a similar mission. also left the
city Mr.. Brewster expects to remain
here for several days to keep in
touch" with the situation, he said.
The failure of President Wilson's
time that a direct appeal by him to
a labor union has absolutely failed
in its purpose. 1t is believed that he
will not be informed OF the disrup-
ton Of the conference until today.
The governments stand thereafter is
Secretary of Labor
according to his own state
ment, has not yet given up hope Of
averting a strike, and certainly moth
ing has transpired in the past week
to lead to the belief that the opera
tors and miners may be brought to-
gether, Because of the wide gulf
separating them, and the untimely
end to their sessions last night, talk
was resumed of the government TAX
ing over the mines as war meas
ure, but no comment was Forthcoming
from anyone in authority in the ad-