The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-28
HARDING CALLS
COAL FACTIONS
To CONFERENCE
President Summons Repre-
sentative O p era t o rs to
Washington to Discuss Par
ley on Wage Scale.
OPTIMISM PREVAILS
fBv Assoclated Press

WASHINGTON. June 2S.-President
Harding has decided to summon to
Washington Saturday a group of rep
resentatlve coal operators from all
parts of the United States, to discuss
with representatives of the miners
union the possibility of a conference
to fix wage scales that would settle
/ the bituminous coal strike An an
nouncement explaining the proposal
will be made later in the day
The arrangements were completed
after conferences at the White House
today in which Secretaries Davis and
Hoover participated while John L..
Lewis, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, who saw him
t Monday remained in the capital for
the purpose of considering the matter.
! The coming conference, which it is
understood will assemble at 10 o'clock
| Saturday, will discuss fully what
steps may be taken to get the wage
negotiations on foot
F! To date the miners union has de-
! manded national conference while
operators in general refuse to enter
such a gathering and have countered
with proposal to meet, in separate
conferences for district wage settle
ments.
| WTLKESBARRE, Pa, June 2S-A
! feeling of optimism much as has not
prevailed since the suspension of op-
Grafton on April 1, was general to-
day in the hard coal regions, of Penn
sylvania. Hopeful news of the con.
ference between John L. Lewis, pres.
dent of the United Workers and
President Harding, which resulted in
the sudden adjournment of the an
thraclte general scale committee and
the abandonment of plans for immedi
ate converting the suspension into a
strike, led the rank and file of the
men to believe they would be bach
in the mines by the middle of July.
i Shortly after the scale committee
had ended its deliberations the news
spread through the districts turning
the gloom from three months of idle
ness to joy and thanksgiving. Many
celebrations were held last night anG
others were planned for today.
Express EIation
The contents of the telegram from
Lewis telling of his conference will
President Harding was not made pub
lie, but members of the scale commit
tee and other union leaders expressed
elation over its tone. In the minds
of the mine workers any plan Presi
dent Harding may suggest means in
tervention in the wage controvers,
and they believe that regardless o
the immediate outcome it will brin,
about a speedy re-opening of the CO.
lieries. Thomas Kennedy, presiden
of the general scale committee, SAT-
, that immediate developments in bot
the bituminous and anthracite indus
tries may be looked for as a result O
Mr.. Lewis conference with the pres
dent and other government officials.
: Steps for preparedness in the even
of strike, however, will not be abar
doned by the miners officials. A NEE
ing will be held in Hazleton tomorrow
i when committees and campaigner
will invoke several of the largest eas
ern cities with an appeal for subscriI
tions to the miners war chest. Th
$ scale committee was instructed t
1 await call to reassemble on shor
notice.