New-York tribune., 1922-07-12
Operators Fail
To Decide on
Coal Proposal
Shift Meeting to Pittsburgh
To-day, While Miners
Mark Time Until Gath
ering Next Saturd d a y
Acceptance Still Expected
Both Sides Find Obstacles
in Harding's Plan, but
End of Walk-0ui Is Seen

Frou, The Trfbune's Woshincfoa Bureau
WASHINGTON. July IL Failing,
after an all day session behind locked
doors. 70 reach decision on whether
they will accept or reject President
Harding's offer ~ arbitration 20 end
the coal strike, the operators' repre-
sentatives IN The national conference
adjourned tonight 70 meet again TO-
morrow In Pittsburgh.
The miners heads are marking time
until Saturday, when their general
policies committee Of l2s officials wlli
assemble TO take definite action on the
Harding proposal
All the signs az both operators and
miners camps point 70 agreement. 70
the principles At least, contained IN
the plan for settlement through 4
mixed tribunal. There Is little doubt
however, that qualifications affecting
the manner In which various parts OF
the scheme are TO be carried out VIII
be asked by both sides. There is un-
derstood 20 be but one big question IN
the minds OF the m..--7 which stands
In the way OF formal acceptance. Ihat
Is whether the roster OF operators as.
sembled here IL fully representative OF
all the unionized fields affected By. the
strike. They say that West Virginia
Washington State and other fields are
not represented on the operators' side
and that. therefore. the resulst OF aroi-
tration might not be binding In those
places.
The problem Of acceptance Of Mr.
HardinE's offer has far more complex
ities for the operators group, It was
derlared, and the pinch In the situh-
tion. as viewed to-day by Administra-
tion officials, lies with them. They are
finding, il was stated, that their inter
ests are involved In such various and
conflicting ways by the arbitration plan
that. despite their protracted meetings
no material progress Is being made.
One stumbling block 10 far for them Is
understood 20 have been the insistence
with which some OF their members have
hung on 20 their original plan, rejected
by the miners a week ago, for mixed
tribunals In the various districts. a
norton OF the operators group has
been demanding that they advance q
modification Of that plan as substi-
tute. but their ranks are said 20 be
dwindling, and II Is expected by their
leaders that when they return here
Sunday from conferences with their
associates at home they will be pre-
pared for speedy work on tho Harding
proposal
Sober second thought is develop
ing among the operators, II was de-
clared, a strong sentiment for viewing
the governments offer "from the
standpoint Of American citizens"-as
one operator expressed it-rather than
from their immediate viewpoint as pro-
ducers. Most Of them are more than
anxious 10 reopen their mines. They
are also realizing moro keenly every
day how fast real need Is approaching
many sections Of the country and how
necessary IL Is for the 500 900 miners
who have been on strike for three
months 20 return 10 work. II was pre-
dicted that this feeling will develop
still further during the next few days
while the operators are visiting their
various districts and that Il will have
an important bearing in bringing them
into line on the Presidents proposal.
In this connection, II was pointed out
to-day, that there are no evidences Of
concern over the outcome In the state
ments Of Administration spokesmen.
A subcommittee Of the operators.
headed by President A. NJ. Ogle, Of the
National Coal Association, their presid-
ing officer, was eloseted with President
Harding for half an hour tonight after
the decision TO recess was made.