Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-25
EFFORT TO AVERT
| COAL STRIKE FAILS
AS BINS RUN Low
Even Appeal From Presi-
dent Wilson Did Not
Bring Peace.
JOHN LEWIS LEAVES HALL:
WALKOUT ORDER STANDS
Nations Chief Pleads for Opera.
ton of Mines to Afford
Fuel.
PLANS NOW ALL AwRY
Final Attempt Is Made to Keen
Shafts Working Because Of
Shortage OF Coal.
JOHN LEWIS LEAVES HALL;
WAlKOUT ORDER STANDS
PLANS NOW ALL AwRY
IRY Associated Prns1

TBy Associated Prcss1
WASHINGTON. Oct 24.-The last
government effort to avert the coal
strike set for November / failed ut
terly tonight. and 100000 miners will
quit work on the very eve of winter,
with the nations bins running dam
gcrously low.
Even an appeal from President Will
SON. sick in bed at the White House,
:. was not enough to bring peace to
breaking point half dozen times dur
Ing the day. Charges and counter
charges flew thick and fast as the
out OF the meeting. which began some
what hopefully four days ago
Mhilc the operators announced that
they had accepted the Presidents offer
10 wipe the slate clean and negotiate
a new wage agreement. the miners
Shiarsed si,s that the operators had bolted.
Labor Wilson. the storm center or an
extraordinary fight TO save the coun-
Try untold distress and suffering
Official Notice to Re sent.
Surrounded by a score OF miners.
John L: Lewis, president of the United
of the hall without stopping, but halted
long enough. to announce that tho
Stn,ES a,iis order order stood and that the miners
month. The final breaking up of the
eonferenee. Lewis said. meant that Off
sent forthwith to. the unions every
where to order the men out Of the
mines at the appointed hour.
The Presidents appeal was made
through Secretary Wilson after the
latter had exhausted every possible ef-
fort and had pleaded until his throat
anu urged the two sides to get to-
gether. negotiate their differences, re-
sTSstlng iTst TO arbitration only in the event
ant point in the proposal, however.
was that the mines be kept open and
the miners stay at work.
Tcnrs in Secretnry's Eyes.
W.e,. tne conference room and Secretary
ilson, the tears springing to his eyes.
annoGntns wns Gatnsring up his papers. when he
PRESIDENTS efforts had fallen down and
that the conference had adjourned for
good: He briefly explained the status
OF bad faith.
tire19 piroP9sal No of w' the President in its en-
eeed with negotiations and If If they @
failed TO come TO conclusion TO sub.
nh the mnes S'! tn in dia9ufs to
operation pending adjustment
The miners Interpreted the Presi-
uent Wnro ifni iGtter as two proposals. They
is, to proceed to negotiate. The O. OPERA erae
tors said that. having expressed a
pronnsal 5Isnes5 in TO aceept the Fresidents
themselves ready to proceed to nero
tiate and arbitrate whenever called
upon tbe IL, by the Secretary Of Labor or by
mat statement withdrew
Conference Is Adjourned.
The miners remained and expressed
onuir regret that the negotiations
coed conid mot not 60 on. but declined to pro-
in fjD.,
neen pee determined whether the results of
me negotiation would be successfuI or
unsuccessful ~
The conference then adjourned
without date" u
That was all the secretary would
mine mir, rScEpt rs: Hs 70 explain briefly how the
The Presidents proposal" he de-
-, - was. hrst. to negotiate: second,
no no suGmit the matter to arbitration il
the mines in operation
The first the miners accented and
neia ,;o over the other two for considera
What is your next step?" Mr.. vii.
plied aowa ss be TO slS The :anntomobie," he re-
work fall down. '''' Haiu
Letter From President.
There was little hope of settIinr Tho
n, MHen the miners and operators
sesr.tar necG Iate To-Day, after two offers by the
ing tie meeting, Mr.. Wilson said ho
had Just come from the White House
with message from the President
urging peace that the people might
nave bountiful stock Of cSaI
Miners and operators. sitting in sen.
arate groups, listened closely while
the secretary read the following Iet
ter from the President embodving his
suggestions for settling the strike
nave been watching with deem and
sincere interest Your efforts TO bring
ABOUT a just settlement OF the differ
ences between the operators and tho
Goa, miners in the bituminous Goa,
helds OF the country. 1t is TO be honed
that the good judgment that has been
exercised by both operators and miners
IN years gone by in the adjustment Of
their differences will again prevail in
the present crisis.
Fuel supply Ii Necessary.
All organized society is dependent
upon thee maintenance OF the fuel sun
ply Tor the continuance Of it's existence
The. government has appealed with
success to other classes OF workers 10
postpone similar questions until q rea-
sonable adjustment could be arrived at,
With the parties to the controversy
rests the responsibility Of seeing that
the fuel supply Of tho natiops is main
tained. AZ this time. when Nhe world