Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-17
illinois CHIEFS
TO MEET MINERS
Optimistic Feeling Notice able on
Both Sides as They Gather
for Conference
HOPE TO REACH AGREEMENT
By Associated Press

BY Associated Press
Chicago. Aug. 17.-Illinois coal op.
orators today were arriving for the con :.
ference with State miners beginning to-
morrow nt which 1t is Hclcd an ngrcc-
ment which will open all of the States
mines would he reached. Several op-
orators today held informal conferences.
The conference will open with indica.
ticeablc feeling Of optimism on both
sides. President Frank Harrington, Of
the miners, is quoted as saying the
miners will not stand for arbitration.
while the operators stand pat that there
must be arbitration after n temporary
agreement has been reached 80 as to
prevent another strike mex: spring.
The conference is expected to last
several days.
"1f Harrington will agree to our
original propOsitiOn-fOr the miners to
present wage scale and the questions
of the wage scale for 1923. Of working
conditions. the check off. etc, be left
to arbitration, peace will be made and
coal mined in the State" DR.. +. C..
Honnold. secretary of the Illinois Coal
Operators Association declared. ''1f
this proposal is not accepted l look for a
deadlock"
Terre Houte. Ind. Aug. 17.-(By
a. P.)-General resumption of coal
mining In Indiana now awaits the con-
ference of the Scale Committee of the
Indiana Bituminous Coal Operators
Association and officials Of District No.
II. United Mine Workers, which Is to
be held here next Monday at 10 A. NJ.
Work may be started today IN some
OF the mines controlled by operators
who attended the Cleveland conference
and signed the agreement negotiated
there. but as yet no members Of the
operators association have indicated
any intention of signing in advance
OF the meeting Monday.
That there will be group of oper.
ators who will make a determined
stand for an arbitration clause in the
agreement with the miners seemed GER
tain today.
Withdrawal of troops from the strip
mines at Staunton. Ind. where the
state has been producing coal for pub
" institutions and essential industries,
, continued today. One provisional bat
talon will be left on guard in the
martial law area which was established
when the troops took control Of the
district.
Charleston. W. Va. Aug. 17.-(By
A. P)-Directors of the Kanawha
Coal Operators Association today ac-
cepted an invitation for wage con-
ference AZ presented to them by &.
Frank keeney. president of District
NO. II. United Mine Workers. Mem.
bers of the association said there had
been no change in its principles. one
of which is opposition to the check of.
Washington. Aug. 17.-(By 4. PD.
Settlement in part of the bituminous
strike and prospects Of an agreement
to end the suspension of work in the
anthracite fields has brought the Cow
ernment face to face with Il new prob =
lem-thc matter Of controlling the prices
of the augmented coal supply.
| The Government during the general
suspension of mining has used car sup
! ply as a weapon to enforce the price
agreements to which the producing op-
| orators subscribed at the behest OF
Secretary Hoover. but with new mines
opening daily the controlling agency
the Federal fuel distributor. has beer
confronted with the possibility of d
! breakdown in the control exercised over
prices. Whether the present system
which is purely voluntary. can be ex-
tended to the mines now being opened
! Is Il question being given serious con
SideratiOn by officials
Some of President Harding's advis.
crS, notably Secretary Hoover. are
known to feel that Congress should bt
asked to enact some sort Of price -con
troll legislation to prevent skyrOckctinl
Of coal prices as the result Of the short
age caused by the miners walkOut
Belief has been expressed in some quar-
tCrs that the President would includ,
such a request or suggestion In hi!
message to Congress on the industria
situation. but no information had com,
from the White House today ns to tn,
Presidents disposition in the matter
The Federal Distribution Committe,
announced today that another question
that had come to 1t for solution wat
whether grain elevators should b.
classed as public utilities and thereby
by given priority In coal supplies. Rep
rcscntations have been made. the com
mittcc said. that the operation Of large
elevators in Kansas City, Omaha
Wichita and other Middle Western
cities was II matter of considerable ur
gency at this time when grain ship
mcnts are at their peak.
Pittsburgh. Aug. II. - More thar
20OO miners. members of the |nitc'
Mine Workers Of America. yesterday
less than twenty -four hours after M
agreement partly settling the soft Goa
mine strike had been reached in Cleve'
land, again went on strike. Operation
at the mines of the Bertha Coal Com
pany, Washington County; Valley CamI
Coal Company. WeStmoreland County
Paisley Coal Company. in West Nir
. rinia. and those Of the Pennsylvani'
Coal and Coke Corporation in Contra
PENNSYLVANIA were virtually suspended
Reports reaching operators and Of
. fcalS of the United Mine Workers herr
said the men returned to work ac
cording TO schedule. but after working
II few hours walked out in body. SOM
opcrators pointed to the new walkou
ns breaking down of the new scale
Union officials asserted it was the re
suit Of misunderstanding, and tha
the men would be back at work to
morrow.
.Johnstown. Pa. Aug. 1.-THE Rer
wind White. the Madeira Hill and som