The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-27
Lawrence Sees
Hope of Ending
Miners Strike
By DAVID LAWRENCE
(Copyr.Sh, by The InteiliSenceD

Washington. June 26.-The United
States government; is preparing 10 sum
mon coal operators and miners into con-
Ce.crcs IN tho national capital and bring
the full force OF public opinion Into play
IN an effort TO settle the coal strike.
1onn l.. Lewis. president OF the
United Mine Workers OF America has
Informed the government that ne and
his associates gladly Will attend con-
ference with operators trom the central
competitive field. which comprises I'M
pogS. Indiana. Ohio and western fehn-
sy,vauta. or with operators from any
group OF coal districts producing an
equivalent amount OF tonnage.
The coal operators views are not Yec
disclosed for the reason that the formal
ioyi,atior has not Vet been sent but
the objection raised by the operators
heretofore has been 4 fear ihat Judge
Anderson might hale them ln;o his red
sra, court on contempt charges III con-
rcc;.on with pendins indictments SrV"-
inc out OF past conferences at which
wage scales we're fixed.
Attorney General Daugher;y has as
eurcd the operators that the govern
r,nt vii. not iHdict the coal operators
md will not view the suggested wage
conferences as violation or existing
statutes on restraint or trade. But me
operators declare they had 4 similar as
suraure once from another attorney
general, \. Mitchell Palmer, out the
federal court a Indiana polls gathered
them 10 Just the same
To overcome this objection. the GOV
errmert authorities hers are preparing
10 summon the conference under CIR
Gums tanceS different from any 'nat
have preceded. The forthcoming con-
ference would be called by the fedora!
government itself as An act o! public
emergency. No federal court would be
likely 20 prosecute private citizens who
coeyed a mandate from another branch
Of the government itself. Then the con-
'srences themselves would be held In
the presence Of officers OF the fedora
government who would undoubtedly oy
their very presence prevent the com
mission OF illegal acts or the making or
any agreements which are IN ccntradic-
;ior - federal statutes.
When an agreement final" = made
.he federal Governmen; would suggest
,he entering OF the document IN the fed
o-a. court SO that K would hare legal
as vel as moral ralsdIty.
This IN substance - What - IN pros
meet. Tecan!cal.ties will not oe per
mit:ed 20 stand IN the way OF confer
encs between miners and operators. II
Is realized that conference might nave
been held earlier aud the objections con-
cern:rE prosecution overcome much be-
fore this II 4 had not been tho desire
cf the operators TO nsht il out with ;he
miners and compel II possible the max
Ing OF th!rty-ive district agreements
instead OF a baS:o scale in tho central
competitive dcid as m previous years.
Both sides surer
Eo.h sides have suffered since the
E,-,se began. The massacre n Illinois
has served. however. 10 bring govern
roertsl influence 10 bear once more In
an aUor; 20 draw the two parties TO-
gether CONFIDENTIAL reports roceiEed
here show that the tactics Of the oper'
ators have not been as euecu'c -.
hreaAaS me union strength as thc% Aaa
hoped Indeed, IN certain noN-un1on
districts A gain OF $4,000 members IS
recorded as dircot result OF thH no'i-
cos posted by operators reducinS wages
T1e miners have been drawn "eStns'
bv 1 common grievance rather IMAM seq
aratei as the operators had oeIeNeo
Would le one o. n" eucctl or a pro
looged strike. In another case ou'C'a'
reports show that miners Who mad pee"
er!c;ed from homes erected Tor then
by the companies row are oH'hS uceeu
to come back TO their homes "het"S'
tNa,- so r4rn. To- N0rA -" 90
r,e main troub.s with the situation
=, tn, ,or-atnrs Sack cohesion. They