Bisbee daily review., 1922-07-26
LE WIS BLAMES FUEL SHORTAGE
 ON GOVERNNEN
Workers Leader Declares Governments Schemes to
 Reopen Mines Failure

NEW YORK, July 25.-Declaring that the governments fantastic schemes to reopen the coal mines were a complete failure and that the delay they had occasioned contrib uted to a pending fuel famine, John l.. Lewis, president of the interna- tional union, tonight renewed his in vitation to operators to settle the strike by joint conference.
 "The attempt to reopen the mines by assembling and parading engines of war to awe American citizens" his statement continued, would be a national farce, did it not possess the elements of tragedy"
 His plea for immediate resumption of negotiations between operators and miners was based on what he termed the complete failure of the governments efforts, which he as serted, have been the result of gov ernmental attempts to avert a fuel famine. MT. Lewis remained firm, however, for national conference to include all coal operators, and re- iterated the refusal of his organiza- tion to confer or negotiate new wage contracts by districts.
 The mine workers chief tonight went to Philadelphia where tomor- row, he will meet the five union district presidents, representing 31,- 900 anthracite and bituminous miners in Pennsylvania who have been idle during the F weeks of strike. From Philadelphia, he will go to Washing ton to await further results of fed eral attempts to bring about a re- sumption of coal digging.
 Ten days have elapsed since the president directed operators whose miners are on strike, to resume the production of coal" said MT. Lewis following which he telegraphed the governors of commonwealths, urging the into accord military protection to all coal companies employing strike breakers"
 Despite this policy" the statement issued by MT. Lewis continued, mot a single union miner has returned to work. It must now be obvious to all that the American miner will not be driven back to work at starva- tion wages and under non-union con ditions by any fanfare of trumpets or vain military display. The pres ence of state troops in large numbers in communities where no transgres- sions of the law have occurred, con- stitutes a menace to domestic tran quility and creates a situation re. pugnant to the ideals of every free born American.
 The coal strike, now in it's sev- enteenth week, involving more than 6OO,O0 men and affecting the welfare of our nation is, in itself, a collosal i industrial tragedy which reflects no credit upon our antfquated industrial relations, or American statesmanship
 "The miners are anxious to settle this strike, and resume the produc tion of coal. We are ready to meet in joint conference with the coal operators at the earliest moment that such a conference can be ar ranged in harmony with the contract obligations of the coal companies and in line with the procedure which has prevailed in the industry for more than a quarter of a century. The ad' justment of a strike in this national industry cannot be accomplished through the instrumentality of state or district settlement. No district conferences or agreements will be sanctioned by the mine workers or ganization. The mine worekrs' rep resentatives will hold themselves in readiness to respond to any logical and practical attempt to efefctuate l an adjustment"