Evening star., 1922-07-22
EFFORTS TO HALT
HARD COAL STRIKE
SHIFT TO SCRANTON
Pennsylvania Mayor, After
Seeing President, Expected
to Meet Lewis.
ONE OF FIVE CONFERRlNG
WITH BOTH FACTIONS NOW
Outlook Very Bright" City Of
fetal Says, After His Interview
at White House.

oe w AAeS AASo5S'
In an effort to bring about resump-
tion of mining operations in the an
thracite coal fields. q conference in
which John l.. Lewis. head of the
United Mine Workers, is expected to
participate, will be held Monday
either in Scranton. Pa. or New York.
John +. Durham, mayor of Scranton,
announced today after he had con-
ferred with President Harding re-
Earding the situation.
Mr.. Durham is one of the five mayors
of cities in the anthracite region of
Pennsylvania who have been nego-
'ating with miners representatives
and operators in an effort to bring
ABOUT resumption of operations. The
scranton mayor has conferred with
Mr.. Lewis. and said today he was GER
tain the miners leader would attend
the conference. He added he did not
know whether operators would be
present.
Explained His Plan.
Mr.. Durkan said he had gone over
the entire situation with the Presi-
dent and had explained to him the
plan he and his colleagues had in
mind for bringing about a cessation
of the anthracite suspension. He de-
Clined to disclose details of their plan.
lne OUTLOOK is very pTlSnl. SdlQ
MIR. Durkan after his interview with
the President He expressed conf
dence that substantial progress would
he made a Mondays conference. Aft
er his interview at the White House
Mr. Durkan returned to Scranton.
Push Distribution Plans.
While prepared to wait for ten days
or two weeks. according to present indi-
cations, to test the success of efforts t1
resume production of bituminous mines
before adopting any drastic course re-
garding the coal strike, the government
in the meantime today was pushing its
plans for distribution of the dwindlng
coal supply to insure continued opera
tion of the railroads and essential in
dustries.
With present stocks of coal there will
he undue risk of an industrial shut
down. officials are conviReed,~by d fortt
night of waiting to develop the response
to President Harding's invitation to op-
orators to resume operations, and the
government in the meantime may con-
sider the next steps to be taken should
that effort fail. What these steps might
he was the subject of prolonged discus
sion at yesterdays cabinet meeting, but
without, it was understood. any definite
formulation of policy at this stage.
DauEherty Report Awaited.
Secretary Hoover, it was said at
the Department of Commerce, expect
ed report before night from At
torncy General Daugherty covering
the legal aspects of the administra-
tons plan for coal distribution and
price maintenance during the strike
emergency, and it was indicated
that details of the administrations
scheme. which involves the use of
iocal committees in the various pro-
ducing districts working under a
central committee in Washington
Final details of the administra-
tons scheme are still incomplete, but
it was learned today that the CEN
tral coal committee would be entire
ly a government body composed of
representatives from the Commerce
department, the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the Justice Department
and the Interior Department. with
Secretary Hoover as chairman. In
addition. it was understood, admins
trative aides would be selected from
the railroads and the producing coal
operators.
Conference Expected Monday.
About thirty or forty producing op-
orators are expected to meet with
Secretary Hoover on Monday to con-
slider the administrations plan. The
operators to attend the Monday con-
ference it was said. would in general
he the same who attended the recent
meeting which resulted in the volun-
tary fair price agreements. repre-
sentatives coming from present pro-
Lob
southern West Virginia, Hazard, KY:
Harlan county. Ky; the southern APP
palachian district of Kentucky and
Tennessee, the Kanawha district of
West Virginia, Logan, w. Va; north
east kentucky. northern West Vir-
ginia. Williamson. w. Va: Elk River,
W. Va: western Kentucky, the Vir-
ginia Operators Association and from
western Pennsylvania.
Plans VIII be discussed at the Mon
day conference. Secretary Hoover said,
for making the voluntary restraint
of profiteering effective in the one or
two districts which have refused to
cooperate and are now demanding
$50 a ton for coal at the mine, and
further to make it effective against
the minority of irresponsible opera
tors in the other districts who have
broken away from the agreement"
THE responsible operators are
holding to the price," Mr.. Hoover con-
tinued: ION the other hand some pam
icky railway buyers and others are
sending out orders today offering So
a the mines
Results in Doubt.
Reports at yesterdays cabinet
meeting on results to date Of the
Presidents appeal for opening of
mines in strike territory did not in
dicate substantial new production,
but more time was said to be needed
for a test of its success, according
to the Associated Press. Non-union
production was found to be running
far below the levels of April, May and
June, in spite of price incentives for
greater production, and this charged
up directly to the effectiveness of the
railroad strike in the mining terri
tory concerned.
What steps will be taken after the
test period outlined were still in de-
bate. Prospects that the mines would
he taken over. and that the govern
ment would proceed along the lines
suggested in President Harding,s
telegram to Gov. Sproul of Pennsyl-
vania, setting up commission to
fix wages and force operations in the