The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-08-07
B|TUM|NOUS GOAL.
 FARLEY OPENS IN
 CLEVELAND TODAY
Success of Meeting Depends Upon Number of Delegates Attending = Both Sides
 Remain Silent
By Aasnclnte,i Presn

Cleveland, August 6.-Prospects of break in the coal strike growing out of the conference opening to- morrow of bituminous coal operators and union leaders hinged tonight apparently on the size of the attend ance of operators, representing scattered coal fields in Illinois, h. diana, Ohio and western Pennsyl- vania and whether they are willing to meet the unions wage edmands. Too few had arrived tonight to fore cast success for the conference, but others were expected tomorrow.
 President John l.. Lewis of the United Mine Workers had not arrived early tonight, but majority of the other 127 members of the unions policy committee were here. but nom commital as to their expectations
 The operators also maintained silence, but 1t was learned some of them were ready to grant the union s demands so that coal resumption might get under way.
 Meetings Postponed
 Meetings by both sides that ha d been scheduled for today were aban- doned on account of the tardy arrival of the conferees. Any final decision of the conference, it was indicated, would not be reached until Tuesday.
 Operators said they expected their minimum attendance would represent mines with a total annual production of G5.000 900 tons.
 The reopening of these mines In the opinion of the union men would force other operators nearby to grant the unions demands as matter of business salvation.
 Members of the unions policy com mittee also expected President Lewis would favor such settlement within the central competitive field, and that he would then ask the commit tee to hold that basic wage had been established for the negotiation of wage agreements between the union and operators in outside dis tricts.
 Hope for an early settlement of the soft coal strike was held out tonight by President John l.. Lewis of the United Mine Workers of America. who declared he was optimistic as 10 the possible results of conferences between union leaders and operators which begin tomorrow.
 Only operators of the central com pettitive field, comprising Illinois, Indiana. Ohio and western Pennsyl- vania, have been invited to the con ference with the union leaders to- morrow, but indications tonight. ob- servers said, favored later invitations to operators of other coal fields, pos sibly resulting in enlargement of the central field as basis for wage ne- gotiations.
 MT. Lewis declined to discuss the possible enlargement of a settlement, saying developments of tho confer ence would disclose whether opera tors in the outlaying districts would be invited. He indicated, however, that he might submit plan to the union's policy committee for settle ment, affecting more states than those of the central field.
 Aside from the possibility of ex- tending settlement beyond the cen- tral field. members of the policy com mittee indicated they favored making a wage agreement with minority within the central field, apparently -egarding such a move as one that would force other operators to make a settlement. At the same time, they said agreements could be made with the operators in the outlaying dis. tricts.
 T am optimistic as to the possible results of the meetings" declared Mir. Lewis. T am hopeful that with In few days 1t will be possible to work an agreement satisfactory to the public. the miners and operators which will permit the early resump- tion of bituminous mining.'