Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-24
URGES MEDIATION
OF M|N'G0 PROBLEM
Miners Official Presents Settle
ment Plan to Senate Sub
Committee
WALSH ASSAILS U. S. STEEL
by the Associated Press

Washington, Oct. 4.-Mcdfation by
the Senate Education and Labor Com.
mittee of the twenty yearold contro
vcrsy between the coal miners and on.
orators of the West Virginia fields war
proposed by Philip Murray. vice prcsi =
dent Of the United Mine Workers OF
America. ~ resumption today Of the
inquiry being conducted by sub com =
mittee of that committee.
MIR. Murray presented a set OF basic
principles for settlement of the con-
trovcrSy to which he said the union
miners would agree, and proposed that a
settlement having been accepted, Chief
Justice Taft appoint m administrator
to interpret and apply the provisions
of the agreement.
Outlines Unions Plan
The bases of tic settlement plan as
outlined by Murray included:
Guarantee OF freedom of speech. as E
scmblv and movement.
Protection Of miners against ds"rim .
ination because Of union membership.
Protection ,f unGrganized workers
against intimidation or coercion by
members Of the TnitcI Mine Workers or
ether labor organizations.
Assurance that democratic inetitu-
tons would not be subordinatCd to in E
dustrinl control "by the practice Of
coal operators IN paying and controlling
deputy shcrlffs and other law officers.
or by employing private guards instead
o' using tn" services Cf the diSintprcStel
and conscientious public officers
Restoration of mine workers Origi-
raly barred because Of union member
ship % their former positions or places
equally as good.
''Wc come hero. not to tnar down.
INT To build up" Mr.. Murray said
1--WE are not destructive. but con-
structivc. If our proposal. our plan. is
not good. we have no ultimatum to
serve on the President Of the United
States. this committee or anybody else.
but we challenge the operators to sub.
nit better plan."
Mr. Murray said the operators having
stated in their memorial to the Prcsi .
dent that they would not meet repre- L.
SnntativPs of the United States Mine
Workers under any conditions, ap-
pnrcntly meant they would settle tho
controversy in no other way than on
their terms. He attacked Judge Gary.
who he said had rostered the might
makes right idea.
Walsh Blames L. $. Steel
Frank 7. Walsh. counsel for the
| nitCd Mine Workers. appearing a. the
first witness for the miners. charged
the United States Steel Corporation and
its financial associates with RESPONSE
bility for what he described as "the
of conspiracy and murder"
in the West Virginia fields.
Much of the trouble. Mr.. Walsh de-
clared, resulted from program which
he asserted was planned by Judge
Gary. chairman Of the board of the
Steel Corporation, backed by J. p.
Morgan & Co., and aimed to check
union labor from making further prog
rcss." The recent troubles, he added.
we're not on the properties of the Steel
Corporation but "On their frontier. and
represent their method of nttempting
to destroy all kinds of labor organiza-
tionS.
u. Il. Vinson. speaking for the Will
hanson operators. entered an emphatic
denial of all of WalSh's statements and
told the committee that testimony which
the operators would submit would
prove the attorneys statements to be
without Scintilln of truth"