New-York tribune., 1922-06-27
President Holds Unavail.
ing Conference With
President Lewis and Sec
retary Davis on Strike
District Agreement
Plan Is Hopeless
Men VIII Not Consent 10
Breaking of Solid Front
for Basic Understanding

Prom ne Tribune WGrhirgf0a Bursau
WASHINGTON. June 90. The coal
striko was apparently no nearer rolu-
tiou after a lengthy conference AZ the
White House to-day among President
Harding, Secretary OF Labor Davis and
John l.. Lewis. president Of the United
Mine Workers Following the confer
cnce Mr. Lewis gave ou' Il statement in
which nc said trat proposed joint con
terence. between the miners and the
operators feature the discussion.
Notaing definite wE decided upon.
Secretary Davis preferred 20 let Mr..
Lewis talk about tac conference wits
t7c President Mr.. Davis indorsod Mr.
L'wis's rcmarks with: That goes Tor
ne. too"
Discussing the situation with tic COZ
respondents. Mr Lewis WAS frankly
pcssimistic regarding an early toImi-
nation o. the strike. Before Mr. lewis
and Secretary ~ Labor Davis lcif tic
White House Offices Secretary of Com
merce Hoover came ~ TO confer win
TIC President. Mr. Hoover and NJ.
Lewis exchanged greetings The Sec
rctary Of Commerce was called in By
President Harding 70 learn the result
OF the three-cornered conference. Sec
rotary Hoover was with tho Executive
but ten minutes, and upon leaving had
10 comment 20 make except 70 reicr
the correspondents 10 tho President.
Reject Group Bargaining
In Official circles here tonight IL l.
fel, that the strike situation Is dead
locked, with the miners refusing 20
consent 20 district or group confer
ences with the operators, while the op-
orators are unwilling 20 pariey other
wise. Warming OF an impending coal
shortare wcro heard In Senate circles
to-day in the form Of letters received
by Senators from different parts Of the
country Air. Lewis corroboratcd the
shortage.
The head OF the miners union and
the Secretary Of Labor took lunch with
tie President at noon and did not leave
the White House until nearly o'clock.
In o statement Mr. Lewis said:
"The Secretary Of Labor and myself
mad luncheon with the President, fol-
lowed by discussion OF one and half
hours relating 10 the general problem
Of the bituminous mine industry and
the present strike situation. We dis
mcnt in the mining industry, with It's
excess number o. mining operations
and excess number Of men employed.
the internittency and inadcquacy Of
employment OF mine workers and vari-
Gus questions affecting the sfobili-a-
tion Of the industry.
No Change in Situation
with relation TO the present strike
We considered the matter Of a Joint
conference Of representative operators
and miners. and the merits OF district
Joint conferences as related 20 the
usual procedure Of central competitive
field conferences or a national confer
ence. No definite plans we're decided
upon"
Discussing the situation Informally
Mr.. Lewis said:
"The strike situation is not changed.
have rot changed my opinion as TO
district conferences. There has been
no change in my personal attitude or
The attitude OF the United Mine Nork-
ers. prefer not to ampify my state
mcnt concerning my conference with
the President. J may say. however
that ! explained 20 the President the
utter futility OF district conferences.
Continuing he said that three decades
Of negotiations with the operators had
shown that no competitive group would
enter into agreements By districts
without basic agreement lie e1-
plained that some Of the big operators
had mines in different states and that
they would not make settlement IN
one state which would embarrass their
operations IN another state.
Sees Industrial Embarrassment
Asked If there WAS any proposition n
by which the miners would enter into
truce. Mr.. Lewis said:
"Woll. won ldn't that be In the ma
ture OF temporary settlementI ] am
not advised that there Is anything CT
that Kind contemplated
In reply to question concerning
when lie tholght the coal situation
would become acute he said that the
situation was already acute and that u
was becoming Increasingly so,
after July 1, when the freight rates
are reduced" said Mr.. Lewis, trench
dous orders for coal viii be placed. The
coal will not be available in sufficient
quantities 20 M the orders and FOR the
public needs. The demands Of tho IN
dustries cannot be satisfied with a
production Of only 5000, 900 tons weekly
"Cnless the strikers settle soon the
railroads will be unable 20 transport
fcontinutd on pasl ritwhl