New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-13
Demand Tribunal
To Bar Walk-Outs
Reply of Bituminous Men
and Union Delayed as
Lewis Confers at Capital

Frou, re Tribuue', Weshiugio- B.reas
WASHINGTON. July i2.-Aithoush
the anthracite mine owners to-day ae-
ecpted in principle the proposals. made
by President Harding for the settle
mert OF the coal .,rike. the miners
union and the bituminous operators
held 70 their policy o. delay and eva
sion.
The anthracite operators agreed 20
abitration, but want q separate an
thraciie commission. keeping their
case quite .ars from that Of The
bituminous fields. The Presidents plan
provides for ono general coal COM
mission.
The hard coal spokesmen agreed
that the workers shall return 20 the
mines a. the scale of wages which
expired March 81. until a temporary
scale can be fixed, but declare even as
a temporary cxpedient this "will en-
barrass rather than assist the ehort
20 restore normal conditions The
operators insist Il be made mandatory
upon the commission 10 determine first
the temporary wage scale and hand
down a decision by August 10. They
want March 81, tho date on which
agreements always have expired, set
for the expiration Of the temporary
scale. instead Of Mach !. as proposed
By the President
Want Plan to. Bar Strikes
Tho Presidents plan provides that
the commission shall hand down a de-
cision on a temporary wage scale by
August 10, II possible. but that, II Il
Is unable to co so b. taat date, IL shall
be empowered 70 continue tho old scale
until 10 can formulate a superseoinG
scale.
Finally, the anthracite operators af K
q reservation OF understanding, 70
their qualified acceptance. ~ is thst
the anthracite men understand inc
commission shall be empowered not
only % determine temporary wages and
working conditions but snail also oe
empowered and directed 20 devise .
method by which periodical disturb
ances nay be avoided. and by which
wages and working conditions ray be
automatically adjusted, By negotiatior'
Z possible, and, u not, b. such maehin.,
cry az the commission shall set up, anc
that its decisions IN this regard shan
4
SDokeEmen for the Miners declare no
such understanding cnn be read into
the White II use program and they be-
grn to-day seeking interpretations OF
the Presidents proposal which would
cover this poiat.
Miners Oppose Wage Tribunal
The mine workers do not like even q
temporary commission award, although
shey will accept one under press OF
circurstGaces, but they are irrevocab.y
cpsossd 90 tho commission proposed by
the President extending itself into
fome sort Of permanent tribunal TO set
n. c-r' uarC d'sp' rs The ~ircT
are against anything Ike the Railroad
I.abor Board in the COZ. industry.
They see Ia any such tendency a cur
tlilnent OF the principle Of collective
President John =. Lewis Of the
United Mine Workers o. America and
two other union officials called upon
. .cretary o. Labor James j. Davis 90
dag and made prclim irary inquiry for
interpretations % the Presidents pro-
posfl. A conference with Prefldcnt
Harding % the same purpose may ff!-
low. n J. believed. In other directions
tae Miners want explanation. They
want - know whether the proposed
settlement will Be binding on The on
tire strike aren. and not simply upon
tho districts represented IN tho oi-
tursinous operators conference here.
They want 10 know whether u will
bind unionizod mirC5 u Colorado,
Washington State, West Virginia and
Kcntucky ard districts in central
Pennsylvania counties where, they say,
some sixty thousand workers have be-
come urion.-ed since the strike began.
Advance Guarantees Sought
The miners may seek advance guar
antics that arbitration shall not mean
bv any possibility o wage reduction,
abolition OF the check-oh, refusal OF
recognition 20 the union or denial OF
the right Of collective bargaining.
Mr. Lewis has begun consideration
Of these points in advance Of the ar
rival Saturday Of the policy committee
Of the union. which is 20 decide the re-
ply OF the miners % the President.
The union and the bltuminous oper-
ators. who reeonvene Sunday, arc yet
10 respond 10 the Presidents proposal.
The White House issued no comment
or .he reply of The anthracite operators
this afternoon. after q delegation
which submitted II had guis the exeeu-
tive Offices. beyond saying simply that
the anthracite operators had accepted
he Presidents proposal.