New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-09
Operators Dash
Hope of General
Coal Mine Peace
Groups From Illinois and
Indiana Refuse to Join
i'm Cleveland Settlement
on Old Scale of Wages
Finish Fight in Pittsburgh
Union May Ignore Absen-
tees, Open Some Districts,
Continue Battle Elsewhere
srec,ai Dispatch 10 The Trbuu,

CLEVELAND, Aug. Slope for n
general peace agreement IN tho BIZ
luminous coal industry az to-morrow's
Joint conference OF operators and
miners faded to-day when II became
known that operators associations In
Indiana, Illinois and Pennsylvania
had not weakened In their de-
termination not 20 be represented.
Individual operators from Illinois and
Pennsylvania already are on the
ground. but the total tonnage they rep
resent Is q negligible fraction Of the
whole. John l. Lewis, head of the
United Mine Workers OF America, who
called the conference, received reports
from tho big struggles over the situa-
tion az the operators meetings IN Chl-
cago. Pittsburgh and Terre Haute'
where the active battle grounds In the
strike contest had shifted from this
city.
Illinois and Indiana Refuse
From Terre Haute IL was announced
that the Indiana Bituminous Coal Oper.
ators' Association would not attend
and that Alfred 81. Ogle, head OF the
National Coal Association, also an In
diana operator, declared he would not
attend. Chances for settlement had
been diminished II not killed by undue
nublicity and an attempt 10 force oper'
ators into the conference, Mr. Ogle
said.
Final refusal Of the Illinois operators
10 have any part in the meeting was
announced as result Of their deliber-
atoms in Chicago, and their attitude
adds n new crisis 10 the situation. Inc
Illinois operators based their refusal
on their allegation that Mr.. Lewis
was attempting to revive the four-state
system Of wage contracts rather thah
, trying 20 end the strike.
The Pittsburgh or Western Pennsyl-
vania district continues TO be tho rid
die OF the conference. Only about
900 900 Of the districts total tonnage
OF 81 100000 Is represented here, and
no hope was held out tonight that
more would come unless there was an
unexpected break in the ranks OF the
Pennsylvanians, who oppose continuing
the "check-of," or company collecting
OF union dues and assessments, and
who have posted notices OF wage re-
duction Of from 25 10 33 l-3 per cent.
Will Disregard Absentees
Those operators who arc on the
ground and the representatives OF the
miners unions propose 70 attempt 70
reach n basis Of settlement regardless
OF the heavy roll OF absentees. A con-
crete plan Of agreement, IL Is expected,
will be taken up embodying these Tour
points: Al,
1. the l920-'22 wage scale, which means
no wage reduction.
Continuation Of the check-of or COM
pany collecting Of union dues and as
sessments.
Creation Of n national operator-mine
worker Joint commission 20 make an
exhaustive survey Of the bituminous
coal industry.
Making Of a joint agreement oper-
ative until April next, with an un-
derstanding Il can Ne renewed for one
or two years, or until the joint COM
mission reports.
There were we'll authenticated re-
ports here that more individual oper-
ators were on their way TO take part
in the conference, particularly iron,
Illinois, which already Is represented
by about $500 900 annual tonnage: No
Indiana operators. il was learned, are
in Cleveland. The fourth state IN the
field, Ohio. is represented by about 20
or so per cent Of its tonnage ALREADY
on the ground. These three states,
with western Pennsylvania, form the
central competitive field, which TOT
wears has made the basic wage settle
ments FOR the bituminous industry.
President Frank Keeney OF District
No. II, United Mine Workers OF Amer;
lea, said that 25.000,o00 out OF a total
Of s5 900 600 annual tonnage In union
fields in West Virginia would be repre-
sented tomorrow ana tna. ". ~. s"t.
Element reached. No advance informa-
ton was obtained as 20 whether any
operators will be here from eentrai
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