The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-08-05
COUNTER With new :
PEACE PROPOSAL TO-.
DISTRICT PRESIDENT
-
Offer to Let Old Wage Scale
In District Stand Until
March 81 oi Next Year.

Chicago, Aug. 4.-By Tho Assoets&ee
Press)-I11inois coal operators msstfAo,
, here today refused to attend the usAsss
ing Of union officials and ;opArat(U
called for Cleveland nszt M6nfAy u
John L. Lewis, prehdsnt Of the 0Iat0
Nine Workers, but submitted Q peop&
tion to Frank Farrington, president g,
tho Illinois union. which II aecspt1y.
would result In reopouing Of The IL
linois mineA
"Aoceding to ana being governed ~,
the request of tho president oS ~,
United states." tho proposal - M. yA1
rington said, we are prepared 70 -
once open our mines for work, paytu0
tho wage scale IN effect at the ~
piration Of the last contract And tot
avoid possible further disruption -!
coal production this fall and wtntpi
whom tho coal supply will Be da1essA
ously short even under the best o6n0e
tions, We will agree that the old vaSoj
scale shall remain effective until Aaxl61
81. 1923" =.
Tho proposals signed BY ne nIin
Coal Operators Association, the ca
trsl Illinois Coal Operators associati1
and the Coal Operators association "a
the Fifth and Ninth districtA suSEeste41
that Immediately upon resumption C,
operations the whole matter Of nltDe1
wages and working conditions Be sub
mitted to a board Of arbitration con-;
mittee composed OF perBonS mueaa1
agreed to. or appointed By Trssidsa
Harding, no member OF the board 70 ~,
an operator or miner -
The findings Of the board -Aasesd2
to the terms Of the peopod wouA -,
binding and would constitute the vAAj
basis for a period Of two ysaru 6eGAi
April /, 1923
The letter to President Lewis rsA6t6
ing to attend the Csvsland coafs0o1oo
asserted that Mr.. Lewis had called to
such meetings and the Illinois Opscak
tors accepted Invitations but bota wsFo
later abandoned. The letter also 40.
serted that Illinois operators had 20.
copied tho proposal to end the strike
made By President Harding. but that
the mtnsrS lad rejected It and blkme4
International officers Of the union fD
the present situation Through rsfus,
al Of Mr. Lewis to allow such . confsNb
ence, tho present coal situation In Illk
nois has been brought about, the statDs
mant said a.
by reason Of the published refusalo
from practically an other unionise1
districts to attned your suggested
meeting. tho Letter continued "tt -
clear that tho conference cannot be -
any sense representative or q proper
basis for determination Of wage scales
to apply throughout the country. u
viii be approximately only the sduivs-
lent Of your dealing with q portion - :
the state Of Ohio and possibility . tsV
scattered operators Of small tonnage
from other states. It Is universally 70.
cognixed that the old Central Compatn.
two field method Of negotiation hs1
heen permanently outgrown and dis.
carded Al . practical method OF deter
mining wage scales: your own action -
sending Invitations to this meeting -
a number Of individuals not parties ~
the old Central Competitive fleld pre-
cedurs and Acknowledges that your 70.
cognizs and are following q new coursA
For these reason no representatives ef
the Illinis OperatorS associations, Win
be present In Cleveland on Monday. 49,.
gust T." -.
Tho letted concluded By informfne
Mr. Lewis that an offer was bstne
made to the Illinois rutnerA Ops1atosO
attending the meeting said that uuHaka
mines can produce ninety milnon toaD
OF coal q year and that . settlement 0A
tho basis agreed upon would practically
assure no shortage OF fuel In the vsslE
ern states