Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-23
END OF ANTHRACITE
MINERS STRIKE IS
NOW HELD REMOTE
Union Leader Reiterates That
the Workers Will Not Agree
to Arbitration.
OPERATORS STILL INSIST


BY Associated Press 20 Every. Evening.
Philadelphia, Aug. 23.--Anthracite
coal operators and representatives Of
the minors. whose negotiations look
Ing toward settlement OF the hard coal
strike were suddenly broken Off yes
terday, held separate meetings today,
but there was no indication that either
side would proclaim " truce. and ask
for q resumption OF the joint confer
ence. Many believed the arbitration
question. over which the two sides
were unable TO agree. was impossible
uf adjustment, at least for the present
and that the prospects OF n return to
work of the 155000 hard coal dig
gers, idle since April 1, were remote.
Tho machinery for ending the sus-
pension, however, still remains in ex-
lstence. 1t Is the joint committee Of
operators and miners. headed respec-
lively by Samuel d. Warriner, preei-
dent OF the Lehigh Coal Company.
and John l.. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers. AS tho Joint
conference ended either side was EN-
powered TO reopen 1t by forwarding a
request to James A. German, Hazle-
ton, the secretary.
"Will you ask for n reopening Of tho
negotiations for settlement of the
striker" Mr.. Lewis was asked today.
so far as we are concerned" he
replied, "the conference ia adjourned
We absolutely will not consider ar
bitration. There is no equity in arbi-
t1ation. II has been tried before and
resulted In chaos and confusion. The
operators made arbitration the sole
Issue. / assume that tho other Issues
We're not insurmountablep
Mr.. Warmer declared that he had
nothing to add to his formal statement
last night. I'VE have made every con-
cession that respect for the public in
terest, our business integrity and the
governments suggestions have re.
quired" he declared. IF the public
suffers, they know where the respon-
sibility rests. We stroye hard to have
the miners return to work"
Mr.. Lewis said that he and his as
sociates. including Philip Murray. in
ternational vice-president of the unior
and the presidents of the anthracit,
districts planned TO remain here tw.
or three days. He pointed out, how
ever. that their presence was not 4
be construed as an indication that the.
expected the operators or themselve
to ask for reopening OF the negotia
; tons. Mr.. Murray explained that tn
> union officials had routine work {
) dispose OF that would consume a da
{ or two. Beyond that, neither he no
! Mr.. Lewis would say what their plan
were.
, The halt in yesterdays proceeding
]. followed the insistence by the opera,
ors on some form OF arbitration !
e the future, during which the miner
would remain at work. A sharp differ
: ence of opinion developed as TO tn
{; length of contract 10 be signed
> Operators offered to pay the Did wag
: rates until next March 81. with ar
: bitration after that date Miners dc
; manded tho old rate until March 8
T 1924
Statements issued by Samuel I
Warriner, president OF the Lehig
= Coal and Navigation Company, Il
), the operators, and by John L. Levi
president of the United Mine Worker
d. made II clear that the chief obstac
TO agreement was arbitration. whic
|, the miners refused unequivocany
i, consider.
/, Mr.. Warriner maintained that Ii
q miners baked even at Recommendation
O arbitration, subject to acceptance
. rejection by either side within te
days after the arbitrating boards re.
J., concentrations were submitted.
l. Mr.. Lewis statement In setting for
IS the miners objections to arb.tratic
e In any form said that the conciliatiC
1t board proposed by the operators W,
e similar 10 the United States Railros
Labor Board which had furnished 9
l. Objectionable example by It's "blunde
\ ing failure as an agency 10 functiS
ID with proper regard for the worker
= rights"
rs He emphasized the miners desi
Is for a two-year contract at the Q
r scale, and added that their plea w
IN answered by the "brutally frank stat
or ment Of the operators that the pri
10 OF such an agreement must be arbitr
ie ton OF the wage scale at stat
periods"
THE miners have declined TO pu
chase peace at such a cost" he sa