The New York herald., 1922-08-23
Lewis Attacks Operators as
Deliberately Wrecking
the Conference.
FOR 100 PER CENT. STRIKE
Employers Offer of Two
Forms Of Arbitration Meets
With Flat Rejection.

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 22.-Negotia-
tions between anthracite operators and
day following five days Of conference
in an effort to end the strike. and
peace Is as far off as when the "sus-
pension of work" started.
1nsistence by operators on some
form of arbitration in the future dur
ing which miners would remain at
work proved the main issue on which
the conference finally failed to agree.
Another bone of contention was a
difference of opinion as to the length
of contract to be signed. Operators
offered to pay the old wage rates un-
til next March 81, with arbitration
after that date. Miners demanded the
old rate until March 81 OF 1924.
In statements issued by both sides,
however, and in discussion by Samuel
d. Warriner for the operators and by
John l.. Lewis for the unions, 1t was
made plain that the real point at
issue was arbitration. which the
miners fatty and unequlvocally re-
fused to consider.4..
Bitterness was marked on both sides
as the conference adjourned. Mr..
Warriner referred to the union men
as Lewis and his bunch" The
miners charged that operators set out
deliberately to break up the confer
ence.
Basis of Lewis's Charge.
In support of that charge miners
pointed out that the statement defining
tho position Of the operators was
mimeographed. The statement was is
sued within ten minutes after the con-
ference adjourned. Lewis and his asso-
ciates declared 1t was prepared and
ready for distribution last Friday.
The following brief joint statement
was Issued when the adjournment was
announced:
.The anthracite conference met this
afternoon. The conference was unable
to agree and adjourned to meet at the
call of the secretary upon the request
or either the miners or operators"
In the three page statement issued
few minutes later the operators out
lined the various steps taken In the con-
ference. Originally operators proposed
arbitration next year by board to be
named by the President. That was re-
Jccted
Then operators proposed arbitration
by the anthracite conciliation board and
three referees to be named by the pre-
siding Judge OF the United states Dis
trict Court OF Appeals for the Third
Judicial District. They agreed to re-
store the old wage rates until next
March 81.
In the first plan the award would
have been binding on both sides. In
the second II did not bind either party
TO the proceeding. ten days being al
lowed to accept or reject any award
or ruling that might be made. The
miners rejected that also.
Position of Operators.
Operators took the position that while
demand for coal would support the old
wage rate for the next seven months
they have no assurance that II will con-
tnue after that period. They insist that
they should not be called on to place q
burden Of high wages on the public.
Mr. Warriner also pointed out that
the union men demanded of anthracite
bituminous producers. The contract in
that statement runs for seven months
only.
IL was stated by Mr.. warriner at the
conclusion OF the conference that the
door has been left open for either side
20 resume negotiations. Both operators
and miners we're frankly pessimistic
however, asserting that the prospects
for the mining of any hard coal this
a .stA
Operators haze not considered any at
tempt TO reopen the mines with strike
breakers. Lewis announced that pend
ing a settlement the strike will continue
100 per cent" lie also said there is
nothing whatever to prevent hard coal
miners from entering the soft coal field
in search OF employment.
The union president emphatically am
nounced that nothing will be done 10
call out maintenance men. 1T Is our
policy to protect the mine properties" he
said, "and the maintenance men will be
kept at work SO long as they are not
asked 10 work with non-union labor"
.arcemcnt In Midwest.
Tclegrams announcing that agreements
had been signed IN the Indiana and
Illinois soft coal fields were handed tc
Mr. Lewis just after he reached his room
in the Believue-Stratford following the
conclusion OF the conference with the
operators.
These" said he. make good tho
prognostication of eight days age, that
within ten days rs per cent. of the
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Confined on Page Two
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