The Washington herald., 1922-07-03
Secretary Hoover to Sub
nit Plan for Settling
Coal Controversy.
MINER AND OWNER
ARE FIRM IN STAND
Session of Conference
Will Be Held at
10 O'clock.


morning with a plan OF its own to
end the deadlock. This plan, 1t was
stated. will be some form of arbitra-
tion by government officials. posi-
bly, Secretaries Hoover and Davis.
The government, 1t was under
stood, asked the miners and oper-
ators to stay over until this morn
ing in order that 1t might present
to the I4eeting a definite plan for
ironing out the strike difflculty
and save the conference from the
deadlock that would leave the
strike situation just where IL was
April 1.
The vote that came just before
the conference adjourned yester-
day afternoon, was taken at the
demand of the operators who, 1t
is understood. asked the showdown
for two reasons:
'1-For the sake of a vote to
determine just which way the
conference was really going.
Pin order to compel the gov
ernment to show its hand. Up TO
yesterday afternoon Secretary
Hoover had been able to forestall
this, but finally gave in yesterday,
II was thought, with the contingent
request that the conferees stay
over until today to hear the gov
ernment's side of the case.
Winter Heat Is Issue.
Heat for the winter is the issue
OF the conference of coal operators
and miners here. but the torrid
summer heat now ravaging wash
ington may prove the factor to bring
them together in a settlement.
After sweltering through two and
a half hours of discussion yesterday,
with the temperature around 100,
the representatives of each combat
ting force voted down the original
basis for negotiating settlement
Of the coal strike presented, by the
other. This disposed of, they ap-
peared to have arrived at exactly
the point that caused the strike.
with only two elements-adminis-
trative Representatives in the per-
sons of Secretaries Hoover and
Davis. and the weather-holding the
hope of an agreement
Weather May Turn Trick.
II Secretaries Hoover and Davis
can keep the conferees together IN
a small enough room in Washing
ton, the weather may be able to do
the rest. There is reason to believe
that both forces are progressing to
the desired end. After the joint
conference yesterday. each group
held a conference of its own TO
further consider possible bases of
negotiating a settlement.
Before these separate conferences
began Mr.. Hoover issued a state
ment on the joint conference. said
by both sides to "tell the whole
story" The statement read:
Vote Each Other Down.
The operators voted against a
conference based on the central
competitive field alone. The miners
voted down the proposition of inde-
pendent conferences in each district.
Upon the suggestion for further
separate meetings of the operators
and miners for further consideration
of methods. the conference ad-
morning."
Mr.. Hoover declined to state
whether a middle ground had been
the miners and operators in their
separate conferences
One of Two steps.
Such a middle ground would ap-
pear to be one of only two steps in
sight, after yesterdays sessions. to
prevent today's Joint conference
ending with the situation as tightly
deadlocked as 1t was April 1.
The miners position, it was
said following yesterday afternoons
lengthy session, and their subse-
quent separate meeting. Is un-
changed. President John L. Lewis
abiding by the pledge of secrecy i'm
posed upon the conferees, declined
to indicate whether a middle ground
had been discussed or might be pre-
sented Monday. 1t seems certain,
however. strengthened by the fac,
that the miners separate meeting
was very brief. that this group is
going to leave the initiative to one
OF the other participants In the
conference-either the coal oper-
ators or the government.
Operators Session stormy.
The operators, after a somewhat
longer session among themselves
. lnSlSlcu IucAI
( position also was unchanged, and
loud discussion which penetrated
the closely curtained doors of their
meeting room indicated a mood
other than of compromise.
Secretaries Hoover and Davis,
after the joint and separate ses-
sions. held separate conferences
during the evening with representa-
tives of the miners and operators.
apparently hopeful that something
might be worked out in Mondays
session to prevent its closing In
failure.
The only rift in the operators
group. caused by the failure Satur-
day Of A NJ Ogle. president of the
National Coal Operators Associa-
tion and chairman the conference,
to include West Virginia and wyo-
ming operators. was healed yester-
day.
Joseph Pursgloye. of the Monon-
gahela Coal Operators Association,
and President Brooks. of the wyo-
ming Coal Operators Association.
: were admitted to the operators per-
sonnel. and to complement this ao-
dition James Morgan. secretary OF
District 23 Of the miners. was added
to the miner contingent Tha rep
-Aasntation Of hnfh q noxu ror..f.f.