The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-08-09
SOFT COAL PEACE
IN SIGHT IS BELIEF
Program Plans Settlement on
Nationwide Scale. &C. =
LOCAL STRIKES MAY CONTINUE
Leaders of Striking Miners and OPer-
ators From Five States hecohVehe
Today in Cleveland.

Cleveland. August 9.-With den
mite program for ending the soil coal
strike ready for consideration, the
injnt conference. of the leaders ot the
striking union miners and coal operal-
ors awaited the expected ARRIVAL ol
other operators. especially those Oh
Illinois and Indiana.
Operators were expected from sew
er;,l her states scattered over tle
soft coal fields, for HE program con
1emplatea Il settlement on SubStantl-
ally Il national basis.
While there were several Informal
meetings of both operators and union
officials, their interest WAS conferred
largely in Chicago and Indianapolis,
where operators We're expected TO De
! termine who would attend the confer
ence today.
John l.. Lewis, president Of tht
miners, as also leaders among the
operators here, was optimistic regard
ing the probability of Il settlement
which if accomplished would be fol,
| lowed almost Immediately by the union
| asking anthracite operators. to renew
! the wage negotiations broken off in
| June. Mr. Lewis had expressed the
opinion this week will see the end
: OF the hituminouS coal controversy.
: In brief. the program for settlement
called for re-eStablishment of the wage
contracts that expired last March 81.
the eve of the beginning of the strike.
: and also the creation of an advisory
: commission of inquiry through whose
= influence il was expected disputes
! would he settled without strikes. The
! ieeStabliShed wage contracts WOULD
continue in force until next April |
! Meanwhile the commission would draft
! recommendations for future contracts
! The CHECK Off system of operators
! collecting union dues would remain
through the establishment of The
! old contracts, and there would be nc
! change of working conditions.
| The plan was understood to have
been worked out by W. A. Glasgow, OF
! Philadelphia, counsel for the miners
and Ralph Crews. Of New York, a.
counsel for several big operators. The!
| consulted with several operators and
officials of the Miners Union.
Mine union leaders and operators
said they had assurances number
| of prominent operators of Illinois anC
| Indiana would have delegates here, il
| being expected Indiana's delegation
would include A. NJ. Ogle, president OF
the National Coal Association. Addi
| tional representation from western
| Pennsylvania also was expected, anC
if was said some Iowa, Missouri, WyO
mig and other operators were already
on their way.
The expectation of the break among
the Indiana and Illinois operators
who had opposed the interstate meet
| ing as means of affecting a settle
ment, caused the conference here Il
recess until tomorrow. Members Of
the conference were sworn to secrecy
| on account of leaders being fearful
announcement of the definite plan fol
settlement might lead TO complications
| resulting in the non-attendance of op
orators now absent.
After the existence of the plan be-
| came known the leaders apparently
| lost none of their optimism the con
| ference here would reach a settlement
covering, i'll part, at least, virtually
| every soft coal field where the unior
is recognized.