The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-25
DESPITE APPEAL
FROM PRESIDENT
CONFERENCE ENDS
Efforts of Secretary Of
Labor Fail to Bring
Settlement
LEWIS DISCLAIMS
RESPONSIBILITY
Chief of Workers Says
Q q Are to
Blame for Tie-Up on
November |

Washington, Oct. 24--The
coal strike called for November
! is a certainty.
In The face of an eleventh
hour appeal. dictated from his
sick ned by President Wilson
and al the strenuous efforts
of Secretary of Labor Wilson.
who has been striving for a
week TO bring together the Pc
rators and representatives of
the nitun1inous miners. the con-
ference broke up tonight.
The responsibility for this ae-
ton is not ours. We dtsolaim the
responsibility" said John L. Lewis.
president of the United Mine Work
ers OF America, as he left the
American Red Cross headquarters,
where the sessions were held. Then
he added DRAMATICALLY:
The strike order stands and the
strike will occur on November l."
The situation at the finish. how
ever. was this,
The presidents letter was read
hv Secretary Wilson 70 both factions.
The president advanced two propo-
s4t'ons-one was that both sides be-
gin negotiations and that. if nego-
tat}ons failed. the second PROPOSE
ton was 70 proceed with arbitra-
ton bar that at ali events the mines
be continued in operation. The op-
orators ystrsF:rscSs< sne,-. stesrtad.
the presidents letter without res
ervations. The miners were willing
70 accent only the first of the pres
tCent's proposals. that is, 70 proceed
with negotiations and this Is where
the break occurred.
OPERATORS AGREE
AS soon as the operauora an
nounced they were willing to stand
by the presidents letter and to be-
Gin negotiations and, moreover. to
negotiate II the negotiations failed.
they left the conference room. The
miners remained with Secretary
Wilson and told him that they were
sorry they could not begin negor!a-
ton until they knew whether or not
the negotiations would end success
fully or unsuccessfully and the
conference was adjourned without
date.
When the miners emerged, Lew
is put the blame for the strike on
The shoulders Of the operators.
They holted the meeting" ne
said, without the consent Of the
secretary. They took Preach
leave"
Secretary Wilson, however. said
nothing of the operators boiting Inc
meeting when ne dictated a state
ment to the correspondents of what
had transpired. His statement fol-
lows.
The operators agreed to &C.
cept the proposal of the presi-
lent in its entirity and to pro-
NraI fF rarnyiatn onI 49, M
failed to come to a Conclusion
to submit to charlottesville
mines 10 be continued in opera
ton, pending an adjustment.
The miners interpreted the
letter OF the president to mean
two separate proposals. They
We're willing to accept the first.
that is. to negotiate.
The operators said that hav~
ing expressed their willingness
10 accept the proposal OF the
president in its entirety. they
held themselves ready to pro-
coed with the negotiations and
arbitration whenever called
upon by the secretary Of labor
or the miners scale committee
and with that statement they
withdrew.
IhS IniiltES remained ana
expressed their regret that me-
gotiations could not be proceed.
cd with but declined to 60 fur-
Their and to proceed with nego>
tiatioas until 1t vas determined
that the results of the negotiA-
tons would be successful or un.
successful. The conference was
adjourned without date"
900. 900 EFFECTED
Six hundred thousand men will b
directly affected by tho coal strika
and every household and industry In
the country will feel the pinch Of suk-
fering II 1t continues In operation fog
any length OF time.
As head OF the maine wogkort
union Mr.. Lewis made this ka1as
ment tonight. x al
The preetdents4 preI0e9
-