Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-28

VIII not unload British coal if the Adj
miniStration authorizes its importation
as ballast in shipping board vessels.
This move on the part of the dock
workers, it was said, will compel America
to rely on the present stock Of fuel and
that turned out in the nonunion fields.
The longshorernen's announcement comes
in advance Of formal ratification of the
economic coalition" pact.
The promise Of moral support ELECTED
from the railroad union chiefs by Mr..
Lewis at Cleveland last week amounts,
according to opinion expressed at min
ers' headquarters, to this Were for
you; God help you The railroad unions
pledged neither financial support nor a
sympathetic strike, it was stated. Never
theless, the miners are awaiting compile
ton by a committee named at Cleveland
of the drafting Of a formal agreement
similar to the Big Three" alliance of
railroaders. dock workers and miners of
Great Britain, and are counting strongly
on real backing from the rail workers.
None Of the sixteen major railway unions
which tentatively accepted the defensive
+ alliance idea at the recent Chicago con-
ference have yet given it formal ratih-
cation.
No high hope was held out in miners
circles that the nOn-union coal workers
may be relied upon for strong support
in the forthcoming strike. In fact, thei1
aid will be only a drop in the bucket" /
it was said. Regardless of how eage&
the un~organized miners may be to asS
sjst the unions in resisting wage slashsJ
it was admitted, they are SO lacking
leadership that it IS unlikely that IT,
will join the walk-out in force.
49,
CHICAGO, March 2~S.-Conference b%
tween coal operators and union oficiaIWl
to be held here tomorrow may serve as
the opener for negotiations for a truceT
to prevent the threatened mine war APRIL
1, according to opinions expressed here@
today.
Preparations are under way far the
meeting of Frank harrington, head Of the
Illinois union miners, with Illinois oper-
atOrs.
harrington, in accord with an agree
ment made with mine owners, suggested
the date of the conference. The Oper-
ators Immediately accepted the proposal
Of the union chief.
1t was predicted here that peace would
not come directly out of the conference,
but it was believed peace feelers would
be thrown out which may result in wage
negotiations of a wider scope before Sat
urday.
Harrington. it was pointed out, cannot
consistently make peace tomorrow. lie
told John L. Lewis and other officials
at the recent Cleveland conference that
Illinois miners would strike with :he
others.
However, operators and union officials
of Illinois in the conference, may make
plans for drawing unions and operators
Of other States into a meeting to dis
cuss 4 general peace.
Rice Miller, head Of the Illinois Coal
Operators Association, expressed him
self as "optimistic' over possibility of
an 'amieabIe" agreement.
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-The UnitaSD
States faces a nationwide coal strike
next week, with approximately seventy
million tons OF coal in reserve.
\ careful study of stocks on hand
made by the Geological Survey in con-
junction with the Department of Com
merce, which will be made public to-
night, indicates that the big public utili-
ties of the country, such as gas and
electric light plants, street railway sys-
TENS, etc, have sufficient coal in storage
to keep them running for ffty-three days
after the strike begins.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind, March 2S.-In-
diana miners will not quit work on ac-
count of the nationwide coal strike an
til March 81, officials of District II,
United Mine Workers of America, an
nouucod today. There are & few mines
closed because of local trouble, but none
have closed in preparation for the strike.
John Hessler, president of District II.
was confined at his home with a severe
cold today. He probably will not be
back on the job until the last of the
week,