The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-03
LEWIS ASKS


ment was signed covering wages and
| working conditions in the mining in
dustry for that period. In this basic
agreement appears the following pro-
vision:
"Resolved, that an interstate joint
conference be held prior to April l.
922, the time and place of holding
such meeting as referred to a COM
ers from each state herein represent
ed togetheT with the International Of
ficers OF the u NJ. W. A."
Operators Refused to Meet.
They have refused point blank to
do as they agreed they would do. If
they were to refuse to liquidate their
financial obligations it would be no
more dishonorable than their refusal
to keep their solemn agreement with
the mine workers.
ION two occasions since December,
1921, the operators have been formal
ly invited by the mine workers rep
resentatives to meet in joint confer
enee at q designated time and place
agreement. On each occasion our in
vitatiOn has been refused. Mr.. P. H.
Penna of Indiana, who for nearly two
decades has been the chief spokes-
man for the coal operators of the CEN
trail competitive field, in a recent pub
lie interview said:
81 cannot deny that our refusal
to meet is violation of our agree
ment.
I'm the face of such brazen and I'M
compromising attitude on the part of
the coal operators, the mine workers
had no alternative but to quit their
and await the making of another
agreement"
Mr. Lewis said that intermittent
employment in coal mines stood out
as the great problem for miners.t
The coal miner knows that the
best he can get is 215 days of work
a year" he declared.
Congress Asked to Regulate.
And that he has got to get enough
money in those days to support his
wise greater costs for consumers, in
overhead wastes of part time opera
ticns.
personally. I think that congress
could well set up a government bu-
reau armed with power TO regulate
and control the industry, and that
some benefits would result from it.
Labor has been securing a smaller
years than formerly" Mr.. Lewis as
serted. after analyzing some price sta
tistics.
Capital has been securing a greater
share. Miners got used to big mar
gins during the war. and in addition !
there is q horde of wholesalers, com /
mission men and bankers living off !
the margins in the industry"
Kansas City. No. April s.-A |
in the various fields of the |
Transmississippi coal districts re-
veaIed no change in the strike situa- |
ton today Operators and mine union |
officials of the Kansas fields were to |
meet here today TO discuss the strike. |
Indianapolis, April 3-Thc first |
test of strength in the nationwide |
of work by union coal |
miners came today. the beginning of /
the suspension on Saturday. an annual /
holiday among miners, having failed
to determine the exact effectiveness
Of the walkout- At the headquarters
here of the U. NJ. w. A, confidence
was expressed the days Developments
would confirm the union estimate of
100000 men. among them 100000 |
lon-union workers. had laid down
heir tools for an indefinite period of
dlenesz.
A tacit truce between the miners
Ind operators was counted on appar-
entity TO make the union estimate of
die men a certainty. Few. IL any
operators in the big coal producing
seaters that are strongly unionized.
we're expected to attempt an early