The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-11-14
CONFER TODAY
ON WAGE SCALE
FOR THE MINERS
OPERATORS AND
MINERS ASSEMBLING.
Hopeful Feeling That Wash
ington Conference wa
Succeed

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1s.-coal min.
ers and operators from the nations bi.
luminous fields will enter into negotia!
tions here tomorrow for q new wage
agreement, with the question OF the
time Of termination Of the Washington
wage agreement of 1918 apparently a.
the chief stumbling. block.
Both miners and operators on the evs
of the conference at which the points In
dispute In the recent strike are expect
ed to be settled were hopeful. however.
as to the outcome and expressed the be-
lief that the question Of when the
Washington agreement terminnted
could be disposed Of through mutual
agreement along with the demands Of
the miners for sixty per cent increase
in pay and shorter hours. .
Change Of Attitude.
Announcement by the executive com.
mittee Of the central competitive field
inn formal statement tonight that the
Washington agreement ID one OF the
matters ito be determined by the COM
ference" was taken generally to mean
that the operators do not intend to stand
pat on their contention that the pres
ent contract remain in effect during the
duration OF the war. or until March IL.
1890" in case a satisfactory settlement
IS made with the miners on that and
other points.
was Hot . Trap.
The statement disclaimed that the
message from T. T. Brewster, president
Of the Coal Operators association In the
central competitive fields, inviting the
miners to q conference 10 negotiate .
contract to be in force upon the ternitl-
alton Of the contract now In eject" was
an attempt to "entrap the miners into q
tacit acknowledgment" Of the binding
force Of the contracts" and pointed out
that the text Of the telegram was al
most identical with that Of the call for
the Buffalo conference.
It was said by those in close touch
with the situation that the operators
were going into the conference tomor.
row in a conciliatory spirit. and would
not insist on the Interpretation that tho
war Is not over although their stand
has been supported by the pronounce.
ment Of the administration and the
mandate Of federal judge Anderson. At
Indianapolis. - -f@
oArnsld Takss 1Art.
Miners arriving here today 20: the
marley attached significance to the a:l-
nouncement by Secretary Of Labor W.! :,
son that Fuel Administrator; Gufhsid,
had accepted his inyitatiopf.a be pres.
ent at the opening OF the coafsrrnci.
No tntimatior Of the role Dr.. CaSaeId
Is to play was given other thnTS tk9
statement, as II was through his inbu,
ence that the Washington RBrec'iena
was neEotiated his presence was logical.
ly to be expected. -
The conference will begin at 2:3o
o'clock instead Of at II o'clock, tho der
partment Of labor announced tonight.
owing to the fact that John L. Lewis.
acting president Of the United$ Nine
Workers Of America and other parttci.
pants will not arrive until afternoon.
On account Of the storm in north
western states, a number Of mine ofh-
cIals and operators are not expected to
arrive before Saturday or perhaps later.
The first question to come up before
the conference will be whether the pro-
ceedings shall be open. Secftary Wilson
said today that he would recommend that
newspaper representatives b admitted
to the conference hall.
Lewis Statement.
INDIANAPOLIS. Nov. 13.-Al off,
cials Of the United Mine Workers Of
America tonight were either In Wash.
inton or enroute to that city for the
and operators with Secretary Of Labor
Wilson which begins tomorrow after
noon. =
John L. Lewis. the last Of the union
heads to leave International headQuArt.
tcrs here, issued a brief statement just
before his departure late this afternoon,
declaring that the miners were not de.
fcated, but have merely acQuiesced~ IN,
the mandate of the court. "and expect Q
demonstration Of good faith on the part
of the government during the negotia.
tions in Washington"
The miners representatives who In
clude representatives of all the bitumi-
nous districts and the full scale commit
tee. are going to the conference with the
belief that a speedy agreement can DO
reached If tn mine owners meet them
half way. according to officials
The situation in the Indiana fields to.
day remained unchanged and no mines
were operated.