The New York herald., 1922-07-23
LEWIS SAYS FORCE
CAN'T DRIVE MEN IN
Declares Only Joint Confer
ence Will Result in Min
\ ers Returning.

Striking coal miners made known
! yesterday their determination to fight to
the end. The one way to settle the coal
strike is by the joint conference method.
in the view of the miners. Talk of
driving them back to the mines is said
to be idle.
That was the opinion Of John l.. Lewis,
president OF the United Mine Workers
Of America, who was at the Hotel Penn
sylvania on a mission the "details of
which he refused to reveal Mr.. Lewis
disappeared later and his secretary
though he said he could get In touch
with him quickly III necessary" 1t was
reported that he had gone to Washing
ton to attend a conference of union
leaders. coal distributors and Federal
officials. On Friday and yesterday Mr..
Lewis conferred with the Mayors Of
several anthracite producing cities in
Pennsylvania and with officials of the
Central Trades and Labor Council who
are assisting in financing the coal strike.
Before leaving Mr.. Lewis issued this
statement:
Never before in the history of the
industry has there been such a demon
stration of solidarity as Is now wit
messed in the ranks Of the miners en-
gagged In this struggle.
THE 100000 union coal miners of this
country are more determined to-day to
win their stJlke than they were on
the day the strike started
Their determination and their per-
feet morale Is the marvel of all time
in Industrial controversies. These men
| cannot be coerced into submission to
! terms and conditions that are repulsive
| to them. 1t is idle to talk about driv-
ing them back to the mines.
Goal companies, bent upon destroy
ing the miners union and starving the
miners and their families into the ac-
ceptance of pauper wages and poverty
living conditions. forced this strike upon
the miners and the American people.
We did everything humanity possible to
avoid 1t. We repeatedly asked the
operators to confer with us and agree
upon a wage scale that could be worked
out AROUND the conference table. But
they refused time and time again. We
are still ready and anxious to meet
with them at any time and place, just
l<as we have done for the last twenty
| five years. -
| There is just one way to settle this
strike. and that is by the joint confer
| ence method And that Is the way It is
| going to be settled. regardless of what
anybody says, thinks or does"
Sending troops to the mines does not
solve the peoples coal problem. In the
opinion of the Public Committee on Coal
Of 80 West Thirty-ninth street. What
the Industry needs to-day Is rather the
vision of the engineer than the bayonet
OF the soldier" the committee says in a
statement sent to President Harding.
senator Borah. Representative Bland and
other members of Congress.
The committee thinks there are several
alternatives to the "use of force" IL
says:
ANY policy which is aimed against
conference and bargaining is doomed to
failure. President Harding has put for
ward a plan for arbitration which has
been rejected by the miners and ac-
cepted only in principle by the bituminous
operators. In the Presidents proposal
arbitration is made compulsory, inso-
much as the findings of the suggested
arbitration commission shall be accepted
as 1nal.
"But when 1t comes to a choice of ar
bitrators the proposal clearly indicates
that the controlling part Of the commits
sion. namely the representatives of the
| public, Is to be selected not by the
parties affected, but by the President"
The report argues for the selection by
the two parties to the controversy rather
than by the Government. of an arbitrator
or arbitrators whose tenure OF office shall
be continuous and whose decisions shall
be final. At the same time a continu-
Gus governmental fact finding agency
would be established. composed of per-
sons experienced in gathering data. This
agency would collect, by subpoena II
need be. all the facts about the produce
ton and distribution of coal.