The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-23
May AGREE TODAY
Hopeful Atmosphere at Kansas
ga City Coal Conference.
Illinois Mines, Idle for '144
Days, Are Reopened.

Kansas City, Aug. 23.AThe confer
ence of officers OF the Southwestern
Interstate Coal Operators association
and of miners union presidents eof
Kansas, Missouri, OKLAHOMA and
Arkansas adjourned until 4 O'Clock
this afternoon after a forenoon of
fruitless discussion. ,.r-
Kansas City. Aug. 23.-Negotiattons
between six representatives of the
Southwest Interstate Coal Operators
association and six of the U. NJ. w. "A.
of possible basis on which to resume
the production of coal in Missouri,
Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma be-
gan this morning. These representa-
tiVes were appointed by miners and
operators following the Joint confer
ence of their wage scale committees
here yesterday afternoon on the theory
the small subcommittee is more
wieldy for formulating an agreement
than a larger one. The agreement,
if 1t is reached, will later be submitted
to the scales committees
Tho miners and operators who came
here for the negotiations which are
said to involve 100000 annual tons,
were both reticent before the confer
ence today, there existed a hopeful
atmosphere, and many persons here
today. are prophesying a speedy open
ing of the mines.
Dig Coal In Illinois.
Chicago, Aug. 23.-Illinois coal
mines, idle Ia days since the strike
of union miners began April 1, re-
opened today.
Settlement of the coal strike in ILL.,
nois was made on the basis of the
Cleveland agreement The miners
hailed the settlement as a vic
tory and Illinois operators admitted
their surrender under pressure from
public demand. Illinois and Indiana
miners in returning to the pits, today
followed the lead of union coal diggers
in Michigan, Iowa, Wyoming, Montana
and other states where similar agree
nents based on Cleveland termswere
made - .-> --sH. 't@
Peace parleys in Kansas and other
fields of the southwest indicated a n
early end to the strike in those sec
lions, but operators and miners in the
anthracite industry broke off nego-
tiations in Philadelphia without max
ing any progress toward a settlement
of the strike of 155, 900 miners in the
hard coal fields.
with ILLINOIS and Indiana miners
back in the pits, union officials esti-
mated that the strike settlement COW
cred four-fifths of the unionized soft
coal fields of the United States.
Production of the soft coal in suf-
icient quantities within two weeks to
supply the needs of householders was
forecast by operators following yes
terday's settlement.
Peace in Pennsylvania Seen.
Pittsburgh, Aug. 2S.-The entire
soft coal strike situation in west Penn
syIvania was rapidly approaching a
blow up" this morning. The great
coal producers association which de-
manded a 331s per cent wage cut and
which from first to last has main
tanned a no surrender and no COM
promise attitude toward the United
Mine Workers and their demands, is
to hold an executive meeting today
and is expected to agree to the terms
of the Cleveland agreement
The membership is fast breaking |
away and making peace with the |
union. 1t is announced the associa- |
ton will post the 1921 scale at its |
mines instead of the 1917 or Garfield |
scale which it had fought for. This
is equivalent to an almost uncondi- |
tional surrender
No Agreement at Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Aug. 23.-With the |
hard coal parleys broken up as a re-
suit of the inability of miners and |
operators to agree on the arbitration |
problem. those anxious for peace in |
the anthracite fields today COM |
mented upon the fact that the door |
was left open for future negotiations |
in the statement issued Jointly by the |
negotiatcrs- This statement. laconic !
as those issued upon the conclusion |
Of the four previous sessions, an /
nounced that the conference was !
unable to agree and that it had ad- |
journed to meet at the call of the sec
rotary upon the request of either side.