The sun., 1919-10-29
MINERS CHARGE BIG
PLOT BY OPERATORS
Continued from First Page.

titude," he replied. "It's nonsense to
say that we forced the strike. We are
row and have been at all times ready TO
enter into negotiations with the opera
tors without reservations. Well discuss
any of our demands with them-the six
hour day. or wages, or working condi-
lions. We have always been ready to
DO that.
I'm the past these negotiations have
always been conducted successfully. One
side would put forward its demands. the
other side It's reply. and then we'd all
sit down and pare and shave until we
got an agreement.
This time the operators refuse to do
anything OF the sort. They adjourned
the Philadelphia meeting without date.
and at that time there was no talk of a
strike order Now they lug in a ques-
ton that II we'd rcscind the strike order
they'd talk"
MI. Lewis's plain intimation is that
an actual agreement or the substantial
assurance of agreement must be reached
before that strike order is rescinded. In
standardization of the contention Of the
strikers that they are breaking no con-
tract in asking for a new wage agree
ment before peace is officially promul-
gated Mr. Lewis quotes the reply of the
operators to the miners first demands.
"They said" he declared. that the
best they could offer would be that the
Washington agreement would not be
changed before next spring. They didn't
consider the war emergency feature on,
and they stopped right there. They
vouldn't make any further OFFER"
None of the local coal operators would
speak for their executive committee here
to- night It's chairman, T. T. Brewster,
is in ST. Louis, and It's official spokes-
man in all the conferences, p. A Penna,
Is in Terre Haute. Efforts to reach him
by long distance telephone there tonight
failed.
Opinions OF union leaders differed to-
night as to whether or not the strike
could be called of by the executive COM
mittee. Under the general provisions Of
the mine workers constitution this ex-
ecutive committee is in general charge in
the interim Of sessions of the general
convention.
The general convention, however. did
rot adjourn on September %. when 1t
broke UP after voting the strike for
November l. 1t took a recess, subject
to the call # the executive committee.
I.egalists If the mine workers were
convinced tonight that the general con-
vention would have to be reaasembled,
matter of four or five days, before the
strike could be called of even IL an
| morrow.
Important Action Indicated.
The precautior of President Lewis in
calling not only the executive commit
| tee but also the scale committee. con-
sistlng of eight iiiners from each OF the
| ictr Lots nd ha Of
various sub districts. indicates that i'm.
portant action of some sort Is to be taken
and that the executive committee does
not want the Responsibility for such a
step without ample backing from the
rank and file.
| According to unofficial advices the
first business to come before tomorrow
meeting will be a study and analysis OF
| President Wilson's letter with a view &c
a possible reply pointing out on behalf
of the mine workers where they think
the President is wrong and telling agar
| just what their position Is. Mr. Lewis
| characterized to-morrow's meeting as q
| general survey of the situation. So many
persons will be in attendance. however
that the extensive and comfortable quar-
ters of the miners organization here
cannot accommodate them and tbs
union men have arranged TO meet in s
| local hall.
So far as could be learned tonight th'
| Federal authorities had taken no action
! to prevent the strike. The State officials
| in all of the four central competitiv,
States, Illinois, Indiana, West Virgins
and Pennsylvania, are awaiting the &C
ton of the Federal authorities. An In
| junction against the leaders OF the union
II is pointed out, would have no effect. a.
the strike order is already in effect, AM
even II the leaders were enjoined an,