The New York herald., 1922-03-22
Anthracite Operators Far
From Agreement, Others
Will Not Confer.
SUPPLY TO LAST Z WEEKS
Union Men Admonished to Be
Orderly and Leave Property
Well Cared For.

officials of the United Mine Workers
of America issued an order last night
from the Hotel Continental directing
100000 miners in the bituminous and
anthracite coal fields to stop work at
midnight, March 81. when the present
agreement with the operators will ex-
pire.
The order set forth that the repre-
sentatives of the miners have been un-
able to obtain cooperation from the
coal operators in a discussion or ad-
justments of the issues. John l..
Lewis, president of the United Mine
Workers, gave out the order after a
long conference at the Union League
Club with anthracite operators. The
strike call was placed in the mails
from the unions headquarters at In
dianapolis simultaneously with It's Is
suance by Mr.. Lewis here.
Mr.. Lewis pointed out that though
che order to stop work is termed "sus-
pension it is in reality strike, par
ticuIarly In the case of the bituminous
operators, with whom no negotiations
for settlement are being carried on. He
said:
1--WE are determined to continue the
strike until we have got what we are
after We hope 1t will not be necessary
to remain out for more than Few
weeks, but we are ready to keep the
mines shut down indefinitely II neces-
sary."
This Is the first time that suspen-
sion or strike order has called out all
union miners in the United States. Wage
contracts in the bituminous and anthra-
cite fields have never before expired at
the same time although a complete tieup
was considered In the anthracite strike
Of 1902.
Expect to Tie Up Anthracite.
Union officials believe the strike will
be particularly effective in the anthra-
cite fields, which are virtually 100 per
cent. unionized. Mr. Lewis expects the
strike in the bituminous fields to call
out workers who produce 2,225.O00
tons day. Non-unionized mines. he
said. produce about 100000 tons a day.
The union estimates that the present
supply of anthracite will be used up
within seven weeks of the strike. The
supply of bituminous is matter or
controversy. the fluctuation OF the de-
mand making it difficult to estimate the
reserve supply or how long it will last.
The results of the first conference OF
the anthracite operators, headed by S.
d. Warrnger, president OF the Lehigh
Coal and Navigation Company, and Mr..
Lewis and three other representatives OF
the anthracite miners, do not point to
an early agreement. A joint statement
of the conference said:
I'VE did not get beyond a general dis
cussion of the nineteen wage demands OF
the United Mine Workers and the atti-
tude of the operators as they defined 1t
when the miners presented their de-
mands last week."
IL was learned that the operators have
offered no definite counter proposals.
They have contended that a substantial
decrease. rather than the 90 per cent.
increase demanded by the miners. Is
necessary and that they will consider
only some sort of reduction.
IL is expected that the conferences at
the Union League Club will continue for
several days possibly weeks The two
factions are very far apart. A meeting
OF the general policies committee of the
miners will be held in Cleveland on Fri
day to determine the details of the strike
order and to designate the workers who
will be permitted to remain at work to
keep the pits and shafts from deteriorat-
ing
The strike call. which was signed by
Mr.. Lewis as president Philip Murray,
vice-president, and William Green. Sec
retary-treasurer, said:
THE blame and responsibility for a
suspension OF mining operations on April
! must rest fairly and squarely with
the coal operators"
Miners Vote Followed.
1t was declared that the strike call
was issued only after the action OF the
international convention recently held
In indianapolis, and after referendum
vote Of the workers in the bituminous
fields showed an overwhelming vote In
favor of surpending operations on April
in the event no agreement is reached
by that time.
The order also said:
THE fullest cooperation must be
given mine management In order TO safe
guard and protect property. There must
be no violation OF law or disturbance OF
the public peace"
OF course the strike call Is contingent
on an agreement not being reached by
midnight March 81, but IL Ia shown that
no efforts to avert the strike are being
made by the bitumuous operators. and
the demands of the anthracite opera
tors differ widely from those OF the