The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-08-20
BINS NEARLY
EMPTY, STATE
UTILITIES SAY
Call For Coal Received-In.
terurban Lines May Have tc
Suspend Because of New
Strikes.
MEETINGS ARE CALLED
(By Associated Press)

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 20.-Tht
fuel situation in Indiana is critical
John w. McCardle, vicechairman O.
the Indiana public service commits
sion, declared today in a telegram
sent to all the Indiana members oi
congress urging them to take action
to prevent a calamity now impend
ing.
Mr.. McCardle's telegram followed
reports received from a number oil
utilities that, due to a strike of the
day men, their supplies of fuel were
almost exhausted and that there
seemed little prospect xof filling the
almost empty bins.
May Cripple Interurban Lines
Gripping of service on a number OF
interurban lines is imminent, Mr.. Nc.
Cardle said
Steps will be taken to negotiate a
new wage scale with the Indiana coal
operators Independent of action in
other states of the central competitive
field. Ed. Stewart, of the local dis.
trict Of the United Mine Workers, an.
nounced today.
Hopes For End Of Strikes
Mr.. Stewart was hopeful that a
wage agreement would soon be
reached with the Indiana operators
In order that the strikes of day men
throughout the district might be
ended
Reports to miners officials at
Terre Haute this morning indicated
that the strike of day men, which be-
gan yesterday following word of fail
nTa fn reach % ho
Cleveland conference, had closed prac-
t1cally all the mines in the Terre
Haute-Clinton district.
Thirteen of the IA mines at Bick-
nell. Ind, were closed and 5000 min
ers were idle on account Of the day
mems strike.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 90
John l. Lewis. president of the United
Mine Workers of America, telegraphed
President Wilson today that danger of
strike this winter by soft coal
mines in the central competitive field
was believed to have been averted as
recent result OF the conference of the
operators and miners at Cleveland
Mr.. Lewis said that while the confer
ence of the scale committees has ad-
journed, he felt certain that differences
now existing could be "harmonized by
agreements to be consummated in the
several states
The full text of the message, how
ever, was not made public
Operators Claim Deadlock.
Another message from the operators
said the two sides were "hopelesslv
deadlocked because the Presidents
proposal to form a commission to
settle the differences had been reject
ed by representatives of the miners"
No specific request that the Presi-
dent take further action was made In
the message.
CHICAGO, Aug 20-A conference of
Illinois coal operators was scheduled
today to discuss the plan of the oper.
ators for a separate agreement be-
tween them and Illinois Miners to
replace the central competitive district
agreement regulating the wage scale of
miners. since 1881.
Separate agreements will be made In
Indiana, Ohio, and Western Pennsyl-
vania, Also 1t was said, today by coal
trade authorities who predicted a rise
in the price of bituminous coal and
substantial increases in wages because
of competitive bidding among the oper-
ators of the different states for mine
labor which, they said would result.
Explain by Meetings. Failure.
AS an explanation for the call for
today's meeting the Illinois operators
cited the failure of the joint wage scale
committee to agree at its Cleveland
meeting which. they said, left half OF
the Indiana mines idle.
President Frank Farrington OF the
Illinois miners. announced today that
scale committee of the miners would
meet in Chicago, Monday with an oper-
ators' committee and warned the
miners under his Jurisdiction to remain
| at work