The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-07-19
PRESIDENTS
PLAN REFUSED
BY THE MINERS
Mentions the
Responsibility They
Have Assumed in
Strike Problem

w StiS OOSs3 AA>~AH -
workers whose walkout in the an
thracite region and strike in the
unionized bituminous fields has
crippled the nations coal produc-
ton since April 1. fatty refused
To-Day. through the officers and
committeeman of their union. to
submit their grievances to arbi-
tration under terms suggested by
President Harding. They notified
the president of their determina-
ton, received a response mention
ing the responsibility they had as
surled, and adjourned the session
of their central controlling COM
mittee, holding its members IN the
city, however. until Monday.
Only a, White House statement
to the effect that nothing would
be done until Monday when the BIZ
luminous employers are expected to
respond to the same arbitration
proposal, was available to indicate
the governments future policy. An
thracite operators have formally
accepted the presidents plan. but
bituminous employers are known
to be divided. 1t was intimated
tonight that at least one section
of them would. in addition to ac-
cepting conditiona1ly the arbitra-
ton proposals., tender their mines
to the government for operation,
control or other disposition.
Today's proceedings of the pol
icy committee of the United Mine
Workers of America with $50 odd
union spokesmen attending, went
forward like clockwork on the plan
laid down by John Lewis, president
of the union, and other national
officers, recounting the history OF
his negotiations with the govern
ment and the employers, express
ing his dissatisfaction with the
terms of the arbitration offer, Mr..
Lewis in executive session offered
lengthy letter of refusal of the
arbitration and moved its adoption.
Delegate after delegate behind
the closed doors; of the executive
session gave his views, and James
L. Lord. vice president of the
American Federation of Labor in
charge of the central union body,
sat with them. The vote in the end
for the adoption Of the letter was
unanimous.
& committee then took the let
tor to the White House and saw the
president briefly.
The scale committee of the union
for the anthracite meeting at an
earlier meeting refused for them
selves to accept the arbitration Of
fer, but Joined with the main pol
icy committee deliberations.
For substantial reasons the
Representatives of the United Mine
Workers are compelled to withhold
their acceptance Of the arbitra-
ton proposals submitted by you,
the letter to the president said.
The mine workers desire
to point out that the coal opera
tors who have been in attendance
at the recent conferences assem-
bied by you. and to whom you
have submitted the plan for arbi-
tration OF the coal strike. are only
partially representative of the pro-
ducing interests affected by the
present Suspension Of mining. OPP
orators representing nearly so per
cent of the tonnage in strike fields
whose production is stopped have
not been in attendance. and we
have no information that the
proposed plan of arbitration has
been submitted to them by any
governmental agency.
"And we are further advised
that these interests have no inten-
ton of coming within the purview
Of the provisions of your plan OF
adjustment. Under such circum-
stances it is futile to believe any
general settlement can be made
Even the acceptance of the
plan by the mine workers would
bring about only partial settle
ment''
This was the crux of the unions
TO the arbitration.