Arizona republican., 1922-03-31
LABOR SECRETARY SAYS COAL
OPERATORS FAILED To LIVE
UP To CONFERENCE CONTRACT

WASHINGTON, March s0.-while
stating that general strike in union
lied bituminous coal mines is certain
to begin Saturday, Secretary of La
Dor Davis declared in a statement
tonight that the situation leaves no
excuse for advance in coal prices"
and no prospect of coal shortage for
the public.
Reviewing the governments efforts
during the last two months TO
achieve a settlement in advance. Mr..
Davis expressed keen disappoint-
ment at the failure of certain OPP
orators to fulfill the terms of their
obligation" to confer with miners for
the making of new wage agreements,
which might have prevented suspen
sion of work.
"All the governments efforts in
the proffer of mediation, conciliation
and compromise" he said, have
failed to save the country from the
national strike test of economic
strength between employer and en-
ployee in the coal industry. ? In
this effort the president and myself
have neither legal right nor personal
desire to dictate any program. Our
one desire has been to induce, by
persuasion and urgence, the opera
tors and miners to discharge the OBJ
legation they assumed themselves, to
confer again for the shaping Of a new
agreement"
The minera. the secretary said.
had always been willing to confer
through their union representatives
but the operators, although for diff
ferent assigned reasons, in several To-
calities have turned their backs on
a chance to lay bare, not only to the
miners. but to the public. at least
their reasons for declining a new
wage agreement"
"A conference, for the operators"
he added, would have removed any
sigma of bad faith"
There may be faults on both sides
OF this bituminous dispute" he de-
clared, "but the side that openly re-
pudiates its written and signed OBJ
legations has crippled its case before
the bar of public opinion"
The agreement repudiated, the
statement explained, was that con-
tanned in the wage contract between
operators and miners in the central
competitive field. including Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio and western Pennsyl-
which has constituted the basic
wage contract for all other coal fields
in former years. The situation as to
anthracite mining, il was added
forms a pleasing contrast because
operators and miners are meeting di-
rectly together"
Further complications in the coal
Industry, Mr.. Davis continued, were
due to the existence OF ver-produc-
tion. amounting 10 fully 80 per cent
over development in the bituminous
fields"
One result OF this, it was pointed
out, was to leave available in storage
now stocks Of coal estimated at 10,-
600, 600 tons Of anthracite and 6o,000,-
600 tons of bituminous.
"This means that railroads, public
manufacturing industries
and retail dealers will have on hand
nearly two months supply
he concluded.
THE operators state that produc-
ton from union mines will meet
at least so per cent OF the normal
needs OF the country. AS
the strike in the bituminous industry
Is inevitable, the industry is squarely
on trial before the public. At this
stage il is simply an economic dis
pute in which the chief sufferers will
be the miners and the operators
The administration will
watch developments and be ready to
safeguard the public welfare when
ever it is menaced."
Any rise in prices, he said, would
be reported TO Washington at once
for action by the attorney general