The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-08
CONGRESS TO
TAKE PART
IN STRIKE
House Labor Commit
tee Authorize Call
For Conference Of
Operators and Min
erS

greSSional effort at settlement OF
The coal strike. particularly as it in
wolves the bituninous fields, was
begun to6say when Chairman No
IAN OF the house labor committee
was authorized to. telegraph invita-
tons TO q number of representa-
tsves OF operators and officers OF
operators associations in the GEN.
trail competitive coal field TO at
tend meeting 9Th the miners
union leaders in Washington April
10 and attempt TO reach an agree
rnent
At. the same time Senator Borah
{Republieanl Of Idaho took occa-
sion to say IN fae senate that "dras-
! tic public action, might be de-
naandea and 10 charge the opera
tors with contract breaking in pre-
cipifating the strike.
possible divergence between
The views Of members Of congress
and those Of the administration,
however. was seen when Attorney
General Daugherty issued a state
5 nnent that "the gpVernment is not
undertaking to do anything in the
present situation Of the coal mat
ter" declaring that smen have the
right TO quit work and men have
right to employ other men," that
the public was not .Iaenaced With
coal shortage; and that it was the
i,ufy of local sauth thorities to main
tain order
The goYernmentfwnuid not look
with favor upon coal price increas-
es, Mr.. Daugherty-. said, adding
that he's no reason at this time
"a believe that disorder neel be
feared. but asserting that the.
I goeern1nent 'will perform whatever
may be its duty IN the premises
&c local and state agencies can not
faaintain peace.
The house committee action eame
after its members had spent two
days listening to discussion OF the
strike from the niners' viewpoint
: by John L. Lewis, president Of
fae United Mine Workers. Mr..
Lewis assured the committee h"
would advise his associates TO ne
gotiafe with any representative
group of operators from the cen
4ral field. which includes Illinois.
Indiana, Ohio and western Penn
syIvania, even though not all OF the
operators could be induced to deal
AGAIN with the union. The union,
b
not settle the dispute IN other
states until this bass had been es-
tablished for & national wage level.
The committee decided TO ap-
peal direct to the REPRESENTATIVES OF
operators groups Tin the states
named and Mr.. Lewis tonight de-
eiared 1t had "put forward a prop
osition worth considering
During the hearings today Mr..
LEXIS defended the miners union
pFonpsaI TO establish a six hour
cay and Eve day week, one of The
demands originally made, scouting
as absurd calculation by Rep
-resentasiYe Black lDen,ocrat Of
Texas that this would occasion an
extra annual cost Of s244,0oo,00O
to the public for co0l.
-IIowever, If we discuss any OF
these demands around council
table with operators" Mr.. Lewis
added, and practicability and
reasorableness. can not, he DEM
onstrafed fer them, the demands
viii fail"
Discussing the history of wage
negotiations, Nh. Lewis amplified
the repeated charge, that the btu
r,inous operators OF the central
field had broken a contract with
{ the miners union in falling to con-
fer with its committees for a new
Eage Scale before the strike. The
fact. he said IN agreeing to sug-
gestion by Representative London
sSoeialist9 Of New York, really
gave the strike all the aspect Of a
lockout
Mr.. Lewis said the basic day
wage in coal mining under pres
ent conIe ions was, $50 a day. as
compared with s2.S4 in 1913, but
the scale in the latter year, he add
ed. was a pauper standard
The house committee contem-
plates further inquiry into the coal
industry with testimony from both
operators and miners, and is ex-
pected to continue It's hearings to-
morrow.
Pittsburg. Kan. April No
whistles blew for the 10000 miners
who have been idle in this section
since the coal strike went into ef-
feet to return t1: work today. Fol-
lowing the operators decision yes
terday to comply with the recent
order of the Kansas industrial
court for continuation of the pres
cnt wage agreement Cor 80 days,
there has been no intimation OF
any change in the miners decision
TO observe the nationwide strike
order.
Chicago. April 4.-coal operators
in the central competitive field re-
fused to meet as a body With the
Ininers TO negotiate wages before
the coal strike began and there
apparently is no reason to believe
that they have changed their
e-1.;1 Dr t. q JIoppoli