Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-10-25
LAST EFFORT TO PREVENT MINERS
 STRIKE URE
Secretary Wilson Weeps as Con- ference of Workers and Op-
 orators Fails.
5OO,O00 TO QUIT ON
 THE EVE OF WINTER
Presidents Appeal From Sick Bed of No Avail-Men Will Walk Out After Full Day October
 31st.

government effort to avert the coal strike set for November 1 failed ut terly tonight, and half million will quit on the very eve of winter, with the nations bins running dangerous ly low.
 Even an appeal from President Wilson, sick in bed at the White House, was not enough to bring peace to a conference that was torn on the breaking point half a dozen times during the day. Charges and coun- ter charges flew thick and fast as the groups of operators and miners filed out of the meeting, which began somewhat hopefully four days ago.
 While the operators announced that they had accepted the presi- dents offer to wipe the slate clean and negotiate new wage agreement, the miners charged that the operators had bolted without the consent of Secretary of Labor Wilson the storm center of an extraordinary fight to save the country untold distress and suffering.
 Surrounded by a score of miners, John L. Lewis, acting president of the United Mine Workers of Amer ica, hurried out of the hall and halt ed long enough to announce that the strike order stood, and that the min CTS would walk out after full days work on the closing day of the pres ent month. The final breaking up of the conference, Lewis said, meant that official notice of the failure would be sent forwith to the unions everywhere to order the men out of the mines at the appointed hour.
 Wilson Accepts.
 The presidents appeal was made through Secretary Wilson, after the latter had exhausted every possible effort and had pleaded until his throat ached. He pointed out what a strike meant and urged the two sides to get together, negotiate their differences, resorting to arbitration only in the event that negotiations failed. The important point in the proposal, however, was that the mines be kept open and the miners stay at work.
 The miners and operators had left the conference room, and Secretary Wilson, the tears springing to his eyes, was gathering up his papers when he announced that his efforts and the presidents efforts had fall en down and that the conference had adjourned for good. He brief ly explained the status, but refused to be drawn into charges of bad faith.
 "The operators agreed to accept the proposal of the president in its entirety" MT. Wilson said, "and to proceed with negotiations, and if they failed to come to conclusion to submit the matters still in dispute to arbitration. the mines to continue in operation pending adjustment.
 "The miners interpreted the presl- dents letter as two proposals. They were willing to accept the first, that is. to proceed to negotiate. The operators said that. having expressed willingness to accept the presidents $ rroposal in it's entirety, they held themselves ready to proceed and nepotiate and arbitrate whenever called upon by the secretary of labor or by the miners scale committee and with that statement withdrew.
 "The miners remained and express ed their regret that the negotiations could not go on, but declined to pro ceed with the negotiations until 1t had been determined whether the results of the negotiations would be successful or unsuccessful.
 "The conference then adjourned without date"
 That was all the secretary would say except to explain briefly no" the miners positions worked out
 "The nresident's proposals" he de- clared. "was first to negotiate; sec cnd to submit the matter to arp1, trat;on if negotiations failed. ana third. to keep the mines in operatlon
 "The first the miners accepted. ana held over the other two for consld- eraticn later."
 "What is your next step?" Mr. Wilson was asked.
 Down to the automobile, he re- piled.
 Wilson's Message.
 The presidents aDreal follows:
 "I have been watching with deeu and sincere interest your eftorts 1o hrine about a just settlement of the differences between the operators and th coal miners in the bitur'inons coal fields of the country. It ls to be hoped that the rond 'no"men' that has haen exercised bv both co' orators and miners in wears cone pV in the adjustment of their differences will again prevail in the present CTS is.
 All organized society is denendon' upon the maintenance ot the 1ue srrnlv for the continuance ot It existence. The government has ap
 (Continued on page six.)