The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-11-15
.GETTING TOGETHER
Coal Miners and Operators
Agree to Meet in Con-
ference

Indianapolis, Nov. 1.-THE way
for the final adjustment Of the con-
Jrorersy between the bituminous Goa
operators and the United Mine Work
ers' of America. which resulted IN {
strike of $4,000 union miners ane
action by the government in the fed
eral court, appeared in sight tonight
While representatives Of the min
ers who early in the oay had agreed
TO comply with the mandate of Unit
ed States District Judge A. 3. Ander-
son and late today mailed an order
$ recinding the strike, We're discussing
the future policy of the organiZat tlon
kilograms were received from w. B.
I Wilson, secretary Of the United
States department of labor. and
Thomas T. Brewster, chairman Of the
operators scale committee, by John
L.-Lewis, acting president Of the min
ers. inviting the miners representa-
lives -intosa conference.
Mr.. Lewis, on behalf of the mine
workers. accepted the invitation OF
Secretary Wilson to meet the bitu-
naineus operators of the country in
Washington next Friday morning at
II O'Clock and replied to Mr.. Brew
ster, who requested a meeting of the
central committee with the operators
,af the district in Washington Mon
day, November II, ito negotiate a
contract to be enforced upon the ter
minatien Of the contract now in eff
feet, that the miners already had
accepted the invitation of Mr.. Wilson.
Copies of the Miners kilograms to
Mr. Wilson and Mr.. Brewster were
not available early tonight, hut their
contents were made public.
an commenting on the telegram
from Mr.. Brewster, Ellis Searles, ed
itor of The United Mine Workers
Journal, and other officials Of the or
ganizaIion who were. under the I'M
aression that MIR. Brewster's message
was sent after he had received Sec
retary Wilson's invitation, declared
they saw in he operators offer de-
nberate attempt. to. ectrap the miners
into a tacit acknowledgements that the
Washington wage agreement was still
in force. The miners have contended
throughout, the controversy that the
wage contract has expired. T..
1T was neat little political move
on the part of the operators said Mr.
Searles. They believed we would ac-
cept their proposal and in so doing,
admit that the Washington wage
agreement was still operative. The
miners, however, accepted the offer
Of Secretary Wilson to- meet him in
washington next Friday. and merely
wired Mr.. Brewster. to that effect
Also Mr. Wilson's message was timed
one hour earlier in fling than Mr.
Brewster's We have maintained all
along that the Washington contract
died with the war activities and that
at present the mine workers have no
contract with the operators Of the
central competitive feld.'
It was said at the international
Headquarters Of the organization here
that practically all ofsthe copies of
the order which called off the nation
wide bituminous eeal strike were in
the mails before the time limit set
by Judge Anderson. s o'clock this
evening. The recall order previous
had been submitted to the court, who
characterized it as good faith ef-
fart'' to comply with the courts man
date. This was after the general COM
mittee of the miners, composed Of the
international officials, district presi-
dents and members Of the executive
board and scale committee had been
in session approximately 1S hours
and at 4:10 o'clock this morning de-
eided to comply with the mandate OF