South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-15
EXTENT OF COAL
STRIKE IS NOW
CHIEF PROBLEM
Whether Anthracite Miners
Will BE Involved Is lmpOr-
tant Question.
WILL CONFER TODAY
All Sides Regard Bituminous
Walkout April l as No
Longer AvOidable.

INDIANAPOLIS. March lex
tent Of the coal strike. set to begin
i'm fortnight. now hinges on a set
tIement in the anthracite field and
on decisions that may be made by
the policy committee OF the United
Mine Workers Of America affecting
the bituminous coal industry For
the first thine. wage contracts for
both fields expire on March 81, in
dicating the possibility OF a com
pIete cessation Of work at all union
operated mines.
The anthracite miners and oper-
ators meet Wednesday in New York
to consider a new contract The
miners ask higher wages. the oper-
ators want a reduction.
Sec'y Of Labor Davis and John L.
Lewis. president Of the United Mine
Workers or America. exchanged
views Tuesday on the threatening
situation IN the bituminOus coal in
dustry and both were said after
their conference 10 be Of the opin-
ion that a nation strike in the union
fields was inevitable.
Mr. Lewis assured Mr.. Davis
again Of the willingness Of the
miners union 10 open negotiations
for a new national wage contract
a proposition which mine operators
are refusing TO entertain.
on Thursday. March I S. the tab
ulation OF the strike vote case by
the bituminous miners begins at the
union headquarters here. II Is con-
sidered certain 90 favor overwhelm-
ingly a strike unless new contract
is made. The anthracite miners
convention settled the strike ques-
ton for those workers. declaring
for a waIkout in absence of a new
contract However. the policy com
mittee has the authority 10 override
either the vote or the convention
declaration but nothing now indi-
Gates any such action IS probable.
Policy Committee Has Key.
The keystone of the soft coal
miners demands is the retention Of
present basic wages. Pressure OF
the non-union operators I'm the
partly organized fields might lead
10 n new contract there without one
having been signed for the central
competitive field Such n possibility
seemed 10 be indicated by q. +.
Keeney. president OF the northern
West Virginia district union. agree
ing TO negotiate a contract with op-
orators ar a meeting TO be held In
Maltlmore. March % Union Off q
Gals are silent on this possibility
which might affect other districts
not 100 percent organized. Final
rest with the policy committee. ac-
cOrding 10 union officials here.
$4,000 to BE Affected.
The separate state agreement for
Illinois also has been threatened by
Frank harrington district union
president. who Is leader Of the anti
administration faction OF the union.
but he has not carried his threat to
the extent OF meeting the operators
and has declared that he would he
hound by policy commission de
cisiOns. John l. Lewis. interna-
tionaI PRESIDENT. and other admins
tration officials have declared
against the single state agreements.
particularly within the General com
Detitive field
Even should a strike be confined
10 the strongest union districts 10
would probably call out at least
100000 miners. according 10 the
union officials. The anthracite field.
though only partly unionized. has
been closed down completely by
past walkouts This industry en-
ploys 10000 men in Pennsylvania
while the central competitive field
has almost quarter million miners.
Tn addition. there are several
strong districts such as those in the
southwestern coai producing states