New-York tribune., 1922-03-09
Miners Facing
Split In Union
On Coal Strike
Illinois Leader Threatens
To Bolt and Confer With
State Operators if Nation-
al Farley Proves Failure
Echo of Howat Rupture
Harrington Declares He Ex-
poets Washington to In
tervcne Before April |
sp,ciol Dispatch TO The Tribune


INDIANAPOLIS. March 8.-With the
likelihood of coal strike becoming
greater daily and consequent nearing
Of the United Mine Workers to the
greatest crisis in its history. virtual
disruption Of that organization WAS
threatened to-day in an intlm3tion by
Frank harrington, leader of the Illi-
nois miners. that he may seek 4 sep
srate agreement with the operators in
that state unless conference between
the miners and operators of the cen
tral competitive field is arranged be-
fore Arril l.
Apparently unwilling to forget the
bitterness reused by his fight with
John J.. Lewis, president of the union,
over the Howat case in the recent
miners convention here, harrington
sent A telegram to the international
executive board, now in session at the
miners indianapolis headquarters, in
which he was quoted as expressing
himself as follows:
eve do not intend to drift into
strike merely for the purpose of allow
ing some of us to get our pictures in the
movies, in the face Of the fact that
meeting with the Illinois operators may
bring about satisfactory agreement
and one that will save our membership
from demoralizing and disastrous
strike
Telegram From st. Louis
Owing to the fact that apparently
neither Harrington nor the interna
tional officers have as yet given out
the full text OF the telegram or com
plete interpretations as to its mean
Ing, some doubt exists tonight as to
how much further he went IN his inti-
mated threat.
In st. Louis, from which he sent the
telegram in connection with meeting
OF the Illinois officials of the union,
he was quoted as making the following
definite statement:
of one thing you may be sure, and
that is that we are not going to agree
to any drifting policy that has but one
purpose. that beng 5enSlon Of
work April ], and If an in . state con-
ference is not arranged OF if such a
conference is not in prospect before
March 81 We intend to begin negotia-
tions with the Illinois operators"
Tonight however, harrington was
reached in st. Louis by CORES spondcnt
of The New York Tribune and pinned
down definitely on a question as to
whether, in his telegram or otherwise
he had made threat Of attempting to
obtain a separate agreement from the
Illinois operators. He replied:
Il haven't made any such threat and
my telegram does not indicate any
such thing. I have said merely that
II an interstate conference is not
called before April I will confer with
the mine operators in Illinois"
Silent on the Purpose
Thereupon Mr.. Harrington proceeded
20 avoid answering all questions as to
what subjects he intended to broach
ut such n conference. in the event one
is held.
harrington expressed himself as con-
fdent that both sides would be called
to Washington before April l, and said
that he believed the outcome of the en-
tire situation is chiefly in the hands of
President Harding and his Cabinet
A central competitive field confer
ence now appears hopeless, however,
despite the expressed desires of Presi-
dent Harding. Meanwhile the Illinois
operators are not only willing but en-
thusiastic over any prospect of enter
ing into negotiations with the miners
for separate state agreement, and
doubtless would snap up such an offer
from Harrington should he carry out
to-day's threat.
While the international officers were
plainly worried over the situation,
there WAS in some quarters DISPOSE
tion to regard Farringtons action as
bluff" 1t was noted that in one por-
tion of his telegram he fouted the
authority of the international execu-
tive board to slct in the present situa-
t!on, but admitted such authority on
the part of the policy committee chosen
at the convention.
Executive Board Replies
This admission was Immediately
seized upon by the executive board,
which, ter considerable study of Far
rington's message, replied with the
following diplomatic and canny tele-
gram:
We are pleased to know it is the
purpose of the executive board of Dis
trict II tillinois, to comply with the
decision Of the international executive
board, which decision was the policy
outlined ny the recently reconvened
wage scale convention. We are also
glad to know that the executive board
OF District II is willing to have its
action be determined by the policy
committee created by the international
convention.
Your acquiescence in this matter