New-York tribune., 1922-08-10
Plan
Partial Peace
I'm Coal Fields
Illinois and Pittsburgh
Operators Block Ma.
iional Settlement by
Ignoring Conference

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Special Dispatch 70 The Tribune
CLEVELAND, Aug. 9.-Mine union
leaders tonight reached a decision 70
negotiate a settlement OF the strike
with the coal operators. who are rep
resented in the conference here, de-
spite the fact that the latter represent
only n small fraction of'the central
competitive field. This decision was
reached after second joint meeting,
in which nothing was done because Of
the fact that the hold-out operators OF
Illinois had not been heard from.
The policy committee Of the union
will meet tomorrow forenoon 10 draft
a PROPOSAL 20 be submitted 20 the oper-
ntors in the afternoon. There IS now
a distinctly optimistic feeling over the
outcome OF tho conference, despite the
failure OF all previous sessions. IL Is
NJ least certain that the peace move
ment will not collapse utterly. There
Is also some hope that the Illinois
operators will fall In line after the
joint conference here reaches an agree
mont.
To Negotiate Settlement
As the plan stands, mine workers
officials are instructed 10 obtain a set
Element by Joint negotiation with rep
rescrtatiycs Of the operators in the
central competitive field territory, en-
bracing the Pittsburgh district, Ohio'
Indiana and Illinois.
II was the refusal OF the central
field operators 20 meet the mine work
crs in Joint conference which pre-
cipitated the strike April /, and has
since prevented negotiation OF tour-
state agreement, which would proYioe
basis for terminating the strike ana
the resumption Of coal mining in the
union Aeld Of the nation, twenty-one
bituminous coal mining states, where
$4,000 mine workers are idle.
The meeting tomorrow Is expected
20 touch the terms Of the settlement
sufficiently to drop the demands OF the
mino workers for a six-hour day, and
five-dav week. which were put into
the union demands by the National
convention OF the mine workers The
chief demands arc for the re-estab-
fishing Of l920-l922 scale Of wages and
working conditions, which existed when
the strike started.
Too Many Absentees
One outstanding fact to-day was
that a settlement Of the strike by the
converting Of central competitive
field joint conference. the time hon
ored method Of joint bargaining in the
soft coal fields, is out Of the question.
4 rough estimate made to-day shows
the operator representation Of the
central competitive field states here is;
Western Pennsylvania, 100000 out
Of II 100000 annual tonnage, or about
i5 per cent; Ohio, the only state with
official association representation here,
25.OOO. 900 out OF 33,000,000 annual ton
mage. or about IS per cent; Indiana,
1000 600 out Of 30,000,000 annual ton
rage. or about l6 per cent, and Illinois,
100000 out Of 90.00o,000 annual ton
mage. or per cent.
All combined. $4,000 900 tonnage, ac-
count for little over one-hfth Of the
coal produced annually In what Is
called alternately the Gibraltar, or
Sncarhead. OF the nations bituminous
coal mining industry, the central COM
pciitivc field.
Indeed, the Pittsburg representation
is only about IA per cent, as the Free
port thick vein operators here are not
vet n part Of the central competitive
Field joint conference.
Mine workers representation being
complete. four-hfths OF these are here
TO negotiate for striking mine workers
with no operators with whom 70 nego-
tiatc.
National Plan Nanishes
Nor is the embryo national confer
cnee. on which such high hopes were
pinned Monday night, following the
conference Sunday in Pittsburgh pc
tween President A. Il. Ogle OF the
National Coal Association and Presi-
dent Lewis. OF the United Mine Work
crs. and other developments, a likeli-
hood now.
Mr. Ogle. following his defeat Tues
day in the meeting Of the Indiana
Operators Association at Terre Haute,
which he tried 10 induce 20 be repre-
sented here. Is not even expected to
come here himself.
lie has called a meeting, however,, OF
the directors Of the National Coal AS
sociatlon for Monday in New YORK
City.
Definite information has reached
both operators and mine union OF.
fcials here that the Pittsburgh Coal
Produeers' Association, welding un-
expected influence on the Indiana
operators, which Mr.. 0gle was unable
10 eounteract. persuaded the Hoosier
mine owners 20 decline the invitation
10 participate in what was TO have
been a conference 20 FIX a national
basic wage and countrywide working
condition.
Following the failure OF the Indiana
opcrators TO follow Mr.. Ogle's recon-
mendation that they enter the Cleye-
land conference, the president OF the
National Coal Association stated 70
newspaper men that there had been
too much publicity given his meeting
with President John l.. Lewis OF the
limited Mine Workers OF America at the
Fort pitt Ifotel in Pittsburgh on Sunday
last. and that this publicity had parity
caused the Indiana operators to change
their position toward the conference
from half-heartedness 10 eetermina-
tion 60 have nothing TO do with H.
Plane Lands i'm Grand Canyon