Norwich bulletin., 1922-08-11
a Victory for the Miners.

Cleveland. Aug. 10 (By the A. P).- Negotiation Of a wage contract which, according to sponsors of the plan, will result in breaking the soft coal strike. was begun today by operators and miners who decided to leave the details of settle ment to committee of twenty which will begin considering its report tomorrow. The start was made after the policy committee of the United Mine Workers voted in favor of contracting with those operators of the central com petitive field who had enrolled in the conference
 Approximately % per cent. Of the nor maj coal production of the central com petitiNe fed was represented in the con- ference, but this proportion did not deter President John l.. Lewis of the miners from predicting that a settlement at the conference here would result in more than 100000 min=rs returning 10 work in the soft coal fields within a week
 "The miners have won this fight. and it is practically over" said MT. Lewis.
 None of the Illinois or Indiana assoeia- tion of operators was represented in the conference as it settled down to busi- ness. but independent operators were present from both states. The canvass of the coal rroduction of the central com retitlve field controlled by operators in the conference was made by the confer | ence credentials committee. Its report was that the operators in the conference controlled 27s6oo0O tons in Ohio 7.soo.- o00 in Pennsylvania. 2.470.O tons m Indiana 1.SOo.O0O in Illinois.
 While the conference was at work here ". \. Glasgow of Philadelphia. counsel 1 for the miners had gone to Toledo tc ! confer with three members of the Illinois ! operators scale committee and the hone was held out among the conferees her. | that the Illinois operators association might vet join the conference Mir Lewis however. declared there had beer 1 no deviation from the unions stan' against arbitration, 2 position to whicl the Illinois association have attributes their refusal 10 .oin the conference
 The unicn's demand for a settlemen center on the Te-esta blishment Of tn i wage contracts that expired last Marc
 31. the eve of the strike that has tie up the coal industry for more than fou
 months. This was made clear by Mir
 Lewis at the meeting of the union poiic-
 committee when he declared there vii
 be no reduction of wages. and the minor
 will not go back to work except unde
 teh old contract"
 | Mlchael Gallagher. the conferenc
 chairman. said it's purpose was not {
 make a basic scale for anyone except th
 operators participating in the confer
 once. Union officials however. said tila
 a decision as to whether the scale mad here was to he a basis for other ope. ators was a question of policy 10 be dt
 cided entirely by the union.
 . The unions purpose to adopt any seal ) made here as a basis for settlement . throughout the soft coal industry wa . shown at the policy committee meetini after which MT. Lewis declared tn;
 when q scale is made here. 75 per cen
 of all bituminous tonnage now on stril will sign that scale" Practically all o' : erators outside the central comDetitil :. 1 field he asserted. were ready to acce1 [ the basic scale and he added that he b 5 lieved important producers will hrea
 away from the Illinois and Indiana ass
 citation and sign the scale"