The Washington herald., 1922-08-03
PEACE IS EXPECTED
Hard Coal Operators Pro
fess Desire to Meet
Miners.
SPENCER SENDS HIS
DISTRIBUTION PLAN
Calls on State Executives
To Prevent Coal
Profteering.

aug.
Reopening Of anthracite wage scale
conferences was regarded as prac-
tically certain here tonight after
S. D. warriner. of the Anthracite
Operators Association assured John
L. Lewis, international miners
president that the mine owners were
willing to meet the diggers.
The operators negotiating COM
mission is ready either to hold di-
rect meetings with the miners or
submit the wage question to unre-
stricted arbitration as heretofore
proposed Warriner said.
Lewis, remaining here, locked
himself in his room all day but Ia
ter emerged and said he had re-
ceived a telegram from the opera
tors OF central and northern Ohio
accepting his invitation to the BIZ
luminous conference at Cleveland,
Monday.
Lewis Farley May Bring Peace.
The mine strike conference called
by President John L. Lewis to meet
in Cleveland Monday is viewed by
official observers here as a definite
step toward peace.
A sufficient number of operators
in the central competitive field is
expected to attend to negotiate a
settlement that may be applied to
the bituminous industry as a whole.
Government experts are not dis
mayed by the published refusals Of
several central competitive field
operators to attend the Cleveland
meeting. They have been in inti-
mate. confidential touch with the
mine 'tie-up just as much since the
Presidents conference adjourned
without agreement, as before. And
their authentic information Is that
about 80 per cent of the central
competitive field tonnage will be
represented at the parley.
Can ControH Situation.
While this 30 per cent is not a
numerical majority of the fields
normal production. nevertheless 1t
is said to be strong enough to set
the pace for the remaining 20 per
cent of union coal. Strategic con-
ditions in the central competitive
field. 1t was said. are such as to
enable those operators who are ex-
pected to accept Lewis conference
call to make a wage settlement
that those operators who refuse the
call will be unable to set aside.
Despite this optimistic view. the
administrations coal distributing
machinery has begun to function.
with the approval of Secretary
Hoover, Federal Distributor Spen-
Ger and his committee have sent in
structions to the regional coal CON-
mittees- in twenty-five states.
Instructions to Governors.
The instructions issued by the
Federal Coal Distribution Commit
tee are being sent the governor of
each State requesting him to Gre
ate a fuel committee which will
coal made available to
him, according to its judgment of
the respective needs in the State.
and Is at liberty to reconsign or to
move coal after it has reached
points in the State.
"The governors fuel committee
would naturally proceed in this dis
tribution according to the rotation
of public necessity:
1. Public utilities and public in
stitutions.
?. Household coal.
8. Industries manufacturing pub
lie necessities.
4. Industries in general"
All governors committees. 1t was
declared. ARE entirely responsible
for the prevention of profiteering
and extortion in the sale and distri-
button of coal within their States"
Distribution of fuel for the rail-
roads will be gradually concen-
trated in the hands Of a railroad
goal committee. composed of coal
buyers from the different railway
groups throughout the country.