The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-08-01
Plans Under Way For Separate
Four-State Strike Conference
MEETING CALLED FOR ClEVE.
LAND MONDAY TO DISCUSS
SETTLEMENT PLANS.
PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, ILLINOIS
AND INDIANA INCLUDED IN Y
NEW PEACE MOVE.
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA MAY
BE TAKEN IN-LEDVlNkA NO.
Titled OF MEETING.

Washington, July 31.-(By the Asso-
ctated Press)-With the federal emer.
gency control machinery piloted BY
Fuel Distributor Spencer finally under
way. the possibility that negotiations
for q separate wage settlement De
tween the miners union and some
operators in Pennsylvania, Ohio. ILL.,
nois and Indiana bitumInous fields
might be instituted this week vas
strongly indicated In Washington to-
night
Representatives Of the various gov.
ernment departments and producing
operators cooperating under the al.
ministration's distributing plan. set to
work on the initial problems facing
operation Of the scheme, such as or
ganization Of regional committees IN
the producing fields and formation OF
coal pools The personnel OF some OF .
the regional committees ts to be
announced tomorrow.
Members Of the federal distribution
committee also conferred today WITH
Cleveland operators on the question OF
supplies for the Great Lakes region, I
but no statement was made as to con-
clusions reached by the conferees.
Meeting Monday.
In Cleveland It was understood q
meeting Is to be held next Monday
looking to the settlement Of the strike .
In PENNSYLVANIA, Ohio, Illinois and In
diana
How extensive such partial settle
ment of the miners strike would be.
or whether such conference was
lacking q considerable number OF en-.
ployers Of large forces OF m1ners
woud be successful at all, remained
questionable in official and semi-of'
fetal view.
Ever since the strike began some
operators have expressed willingness
to negotiate with John L. Lewis, presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers, and
the scale committees OF the union
The controlling majority IN most oper'
ators' associations has been unwilling,
however, to concede the unions de-
mand for semi-national wage scale
made up by joint action OF the en-
ployers and employees IN the four
states named, and have also been un.
willing to conceed the wage scale q
1920 with its $3.50 daily wage base Tor
common labor underground.
Difference on Wages.
Soaring prices Of coal, due to short
age, is said to have made the higher
wage scale acceptable, at least while
the market lasts, though heads OF the
larger mining enterprises outside OF
Ohio insist that a settlement giving
the men war time scales again would
only allow few months Of operation,
followed by shutdowns because tho
lnon-union coal would throw the out
put bearing higher overhead cost out
Of the markets.
Ohio coal operators associations
are said to have been made a nucleus
about which Mr.. Lewis was forming
an Interstate group with whom he
would shortly attempt to negotiate
wage scale.
| It was declared today IN informed
circles that a representation OF oper-
etors from the three states other than
! Ohio IN the conference proposed
would be so small as to leave It
"r1lmp affair" There were also fears
that IL such a gathering assembled 1t
might drag out a long time while ef'
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