The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-17
THE STRIKE AND THE PUBLIC.

] THE STRIKE AND THE PUBLIC.
| Recognizing the influence exerted
by public opinion on questions of gen
eraI interest both parties to the wage
controversy in the coal industry are
carrying on the contest by means of
the printing press. The public be
damned" attitude which formerly
prevailed in connection with such dis
putes seems entirely to have disap-
peared. But both parties are making
diametrically opposite claims and
statements and it may be difficult at
first for the people to determine who
is right and to what extent.
Secretary of Labor Davis has taken
a hand in the game, apparently in an
effort to throw light on the situation.
The secretary says:
1t has been my steady purpose as
secretary OF labor to be fair to both
sides in any trade dispute laid before
me. In that spirit OF fairness am
obliged to say that in this dispute in
the soft coal industry the miners have
been willing to meet and confer. Most
of the operators likewise have been
willing. A few important operators
have refused to confer and so have
kept the entire number from the nee
essary united action.
I have always found that if two
parties to a trade dispute get together
and talk it over they can always work
out a satisfactory settlement and
maintain peace. 1 also contend-and
every good American will agree-that
any set of men who sign a contract
or agreement are morally bound to
carry it out to the letter.
Commenting editorially on the sec
retary's utterance, the New York Her
aid says:
But. Secretary Davis knows, for he
has so been informed by an official
letter from 3. NJ. Clark, president OF
the Association of Bituminous Coal
Operators of Central Pennsylvania
that on March s, 1922. the association
headed by Mr. Clark requested a con-
ference with John Brophy, president
of the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, District No. 2 for the purpose
OF negotiating a new scale, but that
Mr. Brophy, the union leader de-
cltned to have his scale committee
meet the operators scale committee
until after a settlement should be eff
fected between the United Mine
Workers of America and the operators
Of the Central Competitive Field.
The operators of unionized bitumin-
Gus coal mines, declares Goal Age"
have repeatedly announced their will
ingness to negotiate new state agree
ments. The Central Competitive
Field it points out produces about 40
per cent of the country's total output
of bituminous coal. The remaining
SIS per cent is produced by fields
which have no representation in the
four-state conference but whose wage
scales have nevertheless been based
on the four-state scale.
These outlying fields it appears are
opposed to the four-state plan. Some
OF them have held preliminary meet
ings with their mine workers. They
have offered to proceed with confer
ences to establish wage scales, but the
mine workers have refused until a
basis should have been established in
the Central Competitive Field.
The operators feel that the insis-
tence of the mine workers on the
carrying out in detail of a purely rou-
tine provision is in the nature of
subterfuge to distract attention from
the real issue. which is that wages
must be debated.
Mr.. Davis's suggestion that much
can be accomplished by talking 1t
over remains a good one, but neither
side seems sincerely to desire con-
, ference. They prefer to fight and
probably will continue to do so until
the public decides what must be done.