Norwich bulletin., 1922-08-23
Break in Hard Coal Strike Negotiations
Each Side Blamed by the Other for Responsibility of the Continuation of the Strike.

2. Philadelphia, Pa, Aug. 22.-Eegotia- tions, which had been expecte dto result in the settlement of the anthracite coal strike, were broken off tonight and peace \ in the hard coal regions apparently was as far off as when the 155,o00 miners quit work on April in response to a suspen- sion order issued by officials of the United Mine Workers.
 The joint conference of operators and miners, which had been striving since last
 Thursday to reach an agreement on new wage scale, adjourned at 6.S0 p. n. f to meet at the call of the secretary upon
 request of either side.
 l Responsibility for the continuation of 1 the strike was laid in statement by both ! sides to each other also,. representatives of the miners and operators were pessi-
 mistic as to the resumption of mining in 1.-the hard coal fields before or during the winter unless some unusual or unfore- 1 seen suggestion that would placate the
 contending parties would result in re- I calling of the conference.
 As indicated by official statements issued after the conference adjourned the i duration of a contract and the submis- sion to arbitration of any differences ] were the stumbling blocks that could not | 'i Representatives of the mine workers
 insisted upon contract at the old wage
 rate to extend to April 1, 1924, while the
 operators would not agree to continu' ation of the old scale longer than nex
 April. All five sessions of the conference iwere devoted almost exclusively to dis cussion of these questions
 "The position of the United Min lTrT- well known and generally recognized said statement by John IL. Lewis, pres ident of the United Mine Workers an' Il head of the miners delegation. We d . not believe the principle of coIe.,Is
 bargaining should be set aside or substi l tuted by any theory of arbitration. Gu , position on this question has been repeat } ediy made clear and there is no intent O 5 the ,rart of the United Mine Workers t compromise this principle.
 Samuel D. .Warriner, president. of tn
 Lehigh Coal and Navigation compan and spokesman for the operators. als , issued a formal statement, declaring ths
 the operators in their proposals to th r miners, representatives had in mind nc
 merely the bringing about of a resumI : tion of production, but also the establish : ment of a basis looking toward perrns :. nen peace and continuous operation ] e the future. It was the operators belle I the said hat his could best. be obtaine
 by a long term contract with a provisio ! for re1iodicaisreFiston of awges by al bitration. which should be binding upo 5 both parties
 ! Mir Warriner said that despite the re ? I-jection of the operators proposals, ~
 are hopeful that wiser second thougl .si will bring abouts it's acceptance. : He added that the objections of the ol , 1 orators toward a long term contract '.
 the present .'business uncertainty" ar
 that it would be "unethlcal,'' and an "a
 front. to anthracite consumers if tht K should be compelled after 1923 to pay
 price not commensurate with the price n living conditions after that date. Id Queried as to whether there would l r. an attempt to open the mines, Mir. Wa ' riner said he did not know and that the Y had been no discussion Of this matt 1e among the operators
 ce MT. Lewis said late tonight that | 9 maintenance men at the mines would n ,s be recalled, and that atfthis time he hi i0 no idea of any future move to settle t m strike.