New-York tribune., 1919-10-25
Unions Willing to Nego.
tiate but Not Arbitrate.
Operators Fully Agree
TO White House Request
Employers Alone to
Blame, Says Lewis
Government Urged to In
woke Selective Service
Act to Man the Shafts
NoAo Yo1-ls Tribune
Wdshinoton Bureau

Ncio York ~7buis
Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON. Oct. c4.-The hi.
luminous coal miners of the Uni'ed
States to-day refused a last appcaI o.
President Wilson to negotiate their
differences with the operators, submit
to arbitration such differences A.
could not be 'ett!ed between them and
continue the operation of tho mines
until any arbitration board appointed
should reach q decision on those dir
ferences.
"The strike will orclr sero-,,!,sy l.
The strike order stands
This was the s.n.em~,.: 4 .shn /
Lewis, president OF the .ini%ed Mine
Workers, as he left TIE co7fs ~,nce TO
night. Every b'tuminous ,os miner
IN the country d total OF G0>n.0 men
will be affected, Mr. Les, .afd.
Just what effect the s.rike w.ll have
on America lifa snd business no one
here would pre- act to-nigh. If il be-
comes an elective walA out il woulo
mean eventually tie tie-rp Of railroads
the paralysis of industry. nd in MANY
parts Of toe nation, where o:t:n-no,,s
coal is used for fuel. Sc =, s,c
hardship through the wintc- j,4s. shcad
Wilson Gives Up Hope
secretary Wilson Of the D"par,nen.
OF LABOR the active Hgurc 4 tht gov
efnments endeavor to sop ..e s,~iko.
sald after the meeting he aAc nc move
m view to reopen nego' .a.lon~ an. did
.,
government to avert I.e ds,ds.s4 that
threatens the co.ntrv.
The only hope 9 :igAt .or te.uoorar,.
relief lay in TIA ~s1orac.-n-.t OK .rs
American Whoi. "a ie ,1A. t. ~ae.t.,on
which hand es ITO o9a. J00 soae 81 foei
annually ,:.at I; y .u.. . ~ / - I'D to
prevent any incr-ese 10 eDs pee Of
coal
The association REQ 'u.mcnovs. q the
Senate committee irtAst.ca.1.s .oai
prices that the War Deparln,..i4 lneoke
the selective service act 20 recr.jr mon
TO operate the mines.
ne conference came TO an cn1 sud
denly tonight after anothe. dav o.
stormy debate. IN which eeveiai at
tempts were made 10 grt esr operators
and the miners togethet on some basis
which might stave OF the striA. and
lead TO a settlement OF tie rniners. de
mands.
The Presidents appeal, delivered late
to-day by Secretary Wilson. with its
proposal of negotiation OF diTe.cuces.
arbitration Of matters tina, .ou.G no.
be decided by negotiation Il 81 cvn;.n-
uance Of mine operation pen.:ius I, de
cision by any arbitration boa.o liea,ed.
was discussed for two hours. bu. H. the
end it failed to bring about an 4nder-
standing, and the conference adjourned
The text Of President Wilson's letter
follows:
President Wilson's Appeal
Il have been watching with deep
and sincere interest your efforts to
bring about ii just settlement of the
differences between the operators
and the coal miners Il. the btu
mlnous coal fields of the country. Ii
Is to be hoped that rhe good judg-
ment that has been eAerci ised by both
operators and miners IN years gone
by in the adjustment Of their diff
ferences will again prevail in the
present crisis.
"All organized society is dependent
upon the maintenance Of the fuel
supply for the continuance of It's ex-
lstence. The government has op-
pealed with success to other classes
OF workers TO postpone similar ques-
liouo Until 4 reasonable adjustment
could be arrived at.
with the parties Of this cortro-
versy rests the responsibility Of see
ing that the fuel supply Of sae ma
ton is maintained At this tue.
when the world * in need OF .uore
supplies. it ~,uld be a cruel nerlec5
of our high DUTY to humanity 10 faN
them.
Urges New Conference
II have read with interest the sug.
gestion made by you that the wage
scale committees Of the operators
and miners go into conference with
out reservation for the purpose Of
negotiating an agreement as thouah
10 demands had been made or re-
jected, having due regard to the in
terests of their respective groups. I
am in accord with that suggestion.
No body OF men knows better the
details. intricacies and technicalities
of mining taan do the miners and
operators. No body of men can work
out the details of the wage scale on
a more equitable basis. Their judg-
ment undoubtedly would be based
upon sum total of knowledge of the
industry.
Whatever their differences NAV
be, no matter how widely divergent
their viewpoints may be from each
ether. II ia duty Chat they owe ,