The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-07


new wage contract.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch-l
Washington, d. c., April 6.-Elta
prospects OF early peace in tine
coal strike given setback ty re-
fusal of a number of operators as
sociations TO meet with miners
representative in Washington
Monday, as suggested by the house
labor committee, union officials to-
day reported a steady growth OF
the strike in non union held5.
20. ewing assurance by Jonn l.
Lewis, international president of
the union. that the miners would
confer with the operators provld-
ing most Of the operators aSsocla-
tons of the central htumtrous
field were represented, Chairman
Nolan of the house labor commit
tee telegraphed the operators an
Monday. While a number of the
operators scale committees con
ferred today as to what action they
should take a sufficient number
Yesterday refused to attend to
practically eliminate any hope for
the success of the proposed confer
ence.
While awaiting the formal re-
plies to its conference proposal the
house labor committee today con
tinued hearing witnesses in its in
vestigation Of the coal industry.
Situation In Fields Clearing
The situation in the non union
fields is clearing somewhat. Union
officials believe that 21,000 non
union workers will be out in the
New river and Winding Gulf 1eids
of West Virginia by the end OF the
week Operators of non union
mines insist their men are not
ioining. the walkout, but the union
leaders have shown the deviation
TO the strikers ranks of diggers in
a number of previously inorganic
Wage negotiations for the an
thracite fields are continuing IN
New York. -. -
Numerous mine fires in the an.
thracite districts are reported and
union aid has been sought TO ex-
tingrish them.
The strike so far has had prac-
tically no effect outside OF the
mining fields. and some indepen
dent operators of non union mines
report there is almost no market
for coal now.
eIames Miners For Strike.
Washington. D. c.. April 6.-The
coal strike as it had affected the
bituminous field of central Penn
svlvania was blamed on the miners
today by T. II. Watkins, spokesman
for the operators association. who
declared the break was due to the
positive refusal of the Miners union
10 negotiate employers. He was
appearing before the house labor
which has heard the unions nation
al leaders declare the strike was
occasioned by refusal Of the opera
tors to negotiate for a new wage
contract.
Mr.. Watkins said that notwith
standing the refusal of mine owners
in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and West.
ern Pennsylvania TO enter nationa
conference with the union. the mer
were regulating their own prin
ciples of collective bargaining anc
violating their own contracts by al
lowing themselves TO negotiate with
operators in districts outside the
central field"
John L. Lewis. president of the
United Mine Workers, Mr.. Wat
kins said, was using the smoke
screen of accusation against Pitts
bursh and Ohio operators, a fami
liar piece of union strategy II
making their refusal TO meet the
union an excuse to call a nationa
strike.
Mr.. Lewis dares TO try and con
fuse the public" he added, charg
ing further that the calling OF ma
tional strike over a central helC
was itself violation Of contract
Nom Union Mine Closed.
Pittsburgh, Pa, April SIX non
union mines in the Monogonheii
river district of the Fayette count!
coke region, were closed toda!
through the efforts of United Min'
Workers organizers, while one in
dependent non union plant wa!
placed in operation.
This. record according TO tn
union organizers, closes all but tel
of the fifty FIVE none union mine
along the river, which, in this dis
trict. separates Fayette and Wash
ington counties.
Union organizers point to thel
success by declaring that $500 non
union miners were taken into tn
union at Masontown yesterday ant
today. ,,
All but SIX of the plants along tn
MononEahela river wn1cn nave oeei
closed by the strikers, are owne
by independent companies, the 9th
ers being the property of the H: {
Frick Coke comspRy, subsidiar
of the United States Steel corpora
ton.
Declined Nolan Invitation.
The Pittsburgh Coal Producers
association today declined the invi
tafion OF Chairman Nolan OF tn
house labor committee to NEE
with the operators of Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois and the officers of tn
United Mine Workers for confer
ence on the coal strike in Wash
ington April 10.
I'VE desire to say that we haV
definitely and finally determined tina
we will not again participate In
so called central competitive mel
conference We have already mott
fed the secretary of labor OF GU
determination and the reasons there
FORE" said the telegram sent to Nj
Nolan.