Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-08-05

IF the United Mine Work
ers Of America, to open
here Monday, will result
either in the miners re.
turning to work at the old waae
scale or prolonged continuation of
the coal strike, according to opin-
| ions voiced in coal circles here today.
| 1t was predicted that the unions
! fight against any wage reduction will
be ito the finish" following the offer
Of the Illinois operators Yesterday 10
! ray ;be miners of that state the old
scale until March 81, 1923.
Union Chiefs Meet Harding.
Washington, Aug 5.--B. NJ. Jewell.
head of the striking railroad shop
workers, w. H. Johnston, president
OF the international association of
machinists and James p. Noonan.
president of the brotherhood of elec-
trical workers, re-opened negotia-
tons today with President Harding
in the railroad strike.
The union leaders after an hours
conference lett The white house under
restraint Of residential request tn
maintain silence as to the matters
Under cons,dres ton but all thre ex.
pectcG to remain in Washington Icr
at least day or two.
Hopes Brighten for Peace.
Springfield. Aug. 5.--State Fuel Ad.
minstrator Robert NJ. Medill was OPP
timistic this morning that Illinois
coal mines will be working with in
a week or ten days. He declared his
belief that President Lewis of the
United Mine Workers will reach an
! interstate agreement with indepen-
dent coal operators at Cleveland ON
Monday and thereupon issue an order
directing miners to return to work.
IF such move is made, Mr.. Medilr
added he believed operator of the
associations will gradually sign up
and reopen their mines.
harrington Silent on Offer.
Springfield H.. Aug, 5.--(By the A.
P)- President Frank Harrington of
the Illinois mine workers declined this
morning to say how he would answer
the offer of the Illinois coal operators
sent last night, proposing to reopen
the Illinois mines at the old wage
scale
I'm leaving this morning he said,
for Cleveland to attend he Interstate
conference called by President
Lewis
The advice that he would attend the
Cleveland conference whether Illinois
operators did or not was given the
Associated Press representative in a
significant air.
"Therell be no statement from me"
Mr.. harrington added, until after
that"
II haven't received the operators
telegram and can't tell how I'll answer
it,"
Strike Seas Become CaImer.
Chicago, Aug ZAP P)-Compar.
ative calm prevalent in the rail-
strike situation several days today
gave way to renewed activities both
for ending the six weeks old walk
out and for making it more effective.
New peace conferences We're pend
ing in Washington, new strike threats
came from maintenance of way men
and other union workers and con-
ference with President Harding was
sought by the Big Four brotherhoods
for the purpose of presenting their
views of the strike Congress indi-
rectly came into the negotiations,
eastern railroads sent detachments Of
shop workers to the relief of roads in
coal mining districts in Virginia, West
Virginia and Kentucky and outbreaks
of violence were reported from points
hitherto peaceful.
r. NJ, Jewell. president of the rail-
way employees department of the
American Federation of Labor, the
shop crafts leader, was in Washing
ton. where he was summoned by
President Harding. Union chiefs here
looked on Mr. Jewels presence at
the capital as indicative of further
settlement parleys. Officials of the
Southern railway and representatives
of shopmen on that road also were in
Washington to confer on possible
separate peace.
Three detachments of shop workers
were sent by the eastern railroads to
the Chesapeake & Ohio, Norfolk &
Eastern and Virginian railroads for
use in handling shopwork for trains in
the coal mining districts.
1t was estimated that total OF l.
200 men would be sent from the elev-
en- roads in the New York district
Three locals of the Brotherhood Of
Railway Trainmen called joint
meeting for Monday night in Hous-
ton. Tex, to consider conditions aris-
ing out of the strike.
William H. Roberts, vice president
of the maintenance of way mems un-
ion, and r. l.. Enke. member of the
brotherhood executive board. tele-
graphed President Cradle last night
recommending a sympathetic strike
of maintenance of way men on the
twenty-eight eastern roads over which
they hold jurisdiction.