The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-24
BREAK EXPECTED
With. Mine UNION
IN LOCAL REGION
Samuel B. Montgomery Active
in Effort to Get Agreement
to End Strike.

Prominent labor men ir North
ern West Virginia are prevailing
upon President John l.. Lewis of
the United MInesW orkers Of Amer
lea to effect settlement in Nor
them West Virginia without delay
This Is a development of the past
few days .sincethe region is appaA-
emily slipping away from the I'M
ion, it is claimed. Observers are
keen enough to see that the break
is at hand
1t is understood that one Of the
propositions urged is three-state
agreemnt, Ohio, Pennsylvania and
West Virginia, representing the
bulk of the tonnage in union fields
which apparently would force
President Lewis to recognize the
matter if the operators of the three
stats would be interested. North
ern West Virginia operators say
that the three state aGreemen does
not appeal to them, however.
According to reports soma of the
larger producing interests here
hav given the union it's last chance
TO coma through before anon-unlon
policy is pursued The date OF e1-
piration for the ultimatinm was
June 20, but union officials are
said to have pleaded for little
more time to work something out
The belief is that unless a settle
ment is affected by July /. clear
and concise non union policy will
be pursued Whether the union
will see the handwriting on the
wall in due time or permit the
field to slide away from it with the
idea that the Central Competitive
Field is more important is mat
ter of conjecture. AS one operate;
nut it: July 1 will be the last call
I for dinner After that, in my opln-
ion the door will be closed.
Sense Politics
Tn the oNinion of some observers,
Samuel B. Montgomery, Kingwoou,
w. Va, former commissioner OF
labor OF West Virginia. is an &C
tive spirit in obtaining a settle
ment in West Virginia. They say
this would be a feather in Mont
gomery's cap in running for offlce
in the future. 1t has been noticed
that many of the district labor
leaders have chided the miners IN
their speeches for not supporting
Montgomery in-the past. This,
they say, is paving the way for
Montgomery in the future. 1t is
an open secret that Montgomery
has done his %level best to erect: a
truce in Northern West Virginia
between the operators and Inc
United Mine Workers OF America
ever since the strike started IN
April, but apparntly up TO TINS
point without avail.
Policy Unchanged
President Lewis policy thus far
has been against a district agree.
ment any where, and he shows no
disposition to change the plan as
laid down by the international
poIicy committee and the conven-
ton.
Here and there operators express
the opinion that there have been
lot of promises and double cross
ing handed out on the part OF the
miners officials. or at least prom
ises without fulfillment- This Is
what leads the causual observer to
believe that if the union does NO."
come through with an agreement
by July that the invitation to
talk business is a thing OF the
past as the mines will have been
closed down three solid months by
that time. Several big interests
have set tight and left things drift
along, but the ime has arrived
when even Jobs patience would
be overtaxed, in the opinion of the
operators.
During the past week three large
companies. not the largest, but
concerns of considerable tonnage.
! have started to work, firing of the
"watchful waiting policy.
Leaders Had the "Dope"
| While perhaps not always. agree
ing with Fred Mooney, secretary OF