New-York tribune., 1922-04-03
Miners Will
Urge Inquiry
By Congress
CONTINUED from page one)

sary to crush political autocracy. Now
that this task is ended, they will not
submit to a substitution of an in
dustrial autocracy."
Tomorrow Mr.. Gompers rlans to
call on the miners chief for confer
ence, at which, it is indicated, ways and
means for cooperation between the
American Federation of Labor and the
United Mine Workers in furthering the
interest of the striking miners will be
planned. Thereby is story in itself,
for the meeting OF Gompers and Lewis
means a burying of the hatchet in an
enmity the two have held for some
time as the result of political rivalry.
Borah to Meet Lewis
Senator Borah said that he also ex-
poets to be in conference with Mr..
Lewis tomorrow. The Senator, who is
chairman of the Senate Committee on
Education and Labor, did not go fully
into details as to what he expects to
discuss with the miners president, but
as he expressed himself as virtually in
favor of public ownership of the coal
to stabilize the industry, it is likely
this subject will be touched on.
"The real facts in connection with
this strike are not as yet clear to the
public" Mr.. Borah said. II am salts
fed in my own mind as to what they
are, but the public appears to be in
some doubt One purpose of my con-
ference with Mr.. Lewis Is to aid me in
formulating an arrangement OF the
facts so that the public may know them
and a common ground or Course of ac-
tion may be suggested"
Senator Borah was asked whether he
L1 $3ov, Nf r,
istration that no public emergency has
developed as the result of the strike
"a public emergency developed at
least ten days ago, when it became
apparent that more than 100000 men
were going to quit work" he replied.
THAT number of men out Of work in
itself is a public emergency and one
for which the public will pay in the
end"
Nom Union Aid Indefinite
Mr.. Lewis worked until late in the
night preparing his "brief to the
American people," He was unable to
estimate, from the incomplete reports
he has received, how many non-union
miners have Joined the strike thus far.
In this connection, he received one
report that 5000 non-unlon miners are
out in the important Panhandle mines
of West Virginia.
81 believe that all the 100000 miners
working undor union contracts will
remain out" he said. This was on
the estimate that at least 100000 of
the miners actually hold union cards.
1t was learned that the miners lead
ers are not wholly confident that all
of the non-union miners Joining the
owing to the fact that they do not
possess the strength to resist evic-
tions, Withdrawals of credits and other
forms of coercion which the miners are
expecting some Of the operators to put
, into effect.
Among other points touched on, ex-
planned or made the basis of charges
by Lewis in the course of his talk with
newspaper men were the following:
Not Seeking Arbitration
He does not expect to discuss the
strike with President Harding or other
! executive officials
The miners are not seeking arnitra-
tion. (Which might destroy the thirty
wears work of building up the union" "
but to cause the operators Of the cen
trail competitive field to meet them IN
accordance with the terms of the old
agreement. The miners still stand
ready to meet the operators on this
basis.
The desire of the operators for a
strike, Mr.. Lewis said, was shown as
far back as two months ago, when they
encouraged coal consumers to stock up
by saying that a strike was inevitable,
thus causing, first, false demand tor
coal and, second keeping prices higher
than they otherwise would have been.
In this light "the action of the op-
orators in saying they will reduce
nrices from is to % cents ton shows
thev have been overcharging and are
now casting sop to the public"
| When the shutdown is over. provid-
mo the strike lasts till shortage de-
veIops, the market will again be in
creased, with steadier production from
| the operators generally, less overhead
and higher profits, Mr.. Lewis said: A
runaway market may be expected to
start when 90 900 900 tons of coal now
above ground has been exhausted The
public will foot the bill.
The non-union production "bugaboo
has been much exaggerated, the miners
/ nresident avertcd The ratio of IS per
cent union to 25 per cent non-union
coal has remained unchanged for sew
eral years.
Much OF the non-union coal to be
produced during the strike already
has been contracted for by a few large
Ynanuf- cturing ccrroratlons, and n
leagi 81 coo fon toe ril not be aVaii-
80. fr I.awis sid
eno o ,,inch," Mr. Lewis