The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-04-06
NO DANGER OF
COAL FAMINE
THIS SUMMER
Government Officials Do Not
Fear Shortage Strike Ef-
feet on Business Not Yet
Noticed.
MINERS ARE BLAMED
tBy Associated Press,

fBy Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, April 6.-The coal
strike has as yet been without affecI
upon business, according to the view
expressed today at the treasury Of
ficials explained it was too soon for
reserve stocks of coal to become de-
pleted sufficiently to affect the coun-
try industrially.
These officials expressed the BELIEF
there would be no danger of a coal
shortage during the summer, even
though the controversy between the
miners and operators should be pro
tracted several months.
The coal strike, as 1t has affected
the bituminous fields of central Penn
sylvania, was blamed on the miners
today by T. H. Watkins, president of
the operators association there, who
declared the break was due to the
positive refusal of the miners union
to negotiate with employers.
He was appearing before the house
labor committee which has heard the
union national leader declare that the
strike was occasioned by refusal of
the operators to negotiate for a new
wage contract.
Says Contract Violated
Mr. Watkins said that, notwithstand-
ing the refusal of mine owners in II
linois, Ohio, Indiana and western
Pennsylvania to enter national confer
ence with the union, the men were
"repudiating their own principles of
collective bargaining and violating
their own contract by refusing them.
selves to negotiate with operators in
districts outside the central field
THE result of the unions action
he said, had been to take $4,000 coal
miners in Central Pennsylvania on
strike in gross breach of faith and
contract" John l.. Lewis, president
of the United Mine Workers. Mr.. Wat
kins said was using the smoke screen
of accusation against Pittsburg and
Ohio operators, a familiar piece of
union strategy" in making their re-
| fusal to meet the union reason for
calling a national strike.
| "Mr. Lewis dares to try and confuse
the public" he added, charging fur
ther that the calling of national
strike over central field was Itself
violation of contract
| PITTSBURG, Pa, April 6.-The
Pittsburg Coal Producers association
today declined the invitation of Chair
man Nolan of the house labor commit
! tee to meet with the operators Of
Ohio. Indiana, and Illinois, and the
offers of the United Mine Workers
| for a conference on the coal strike in
Washington. April 10.
| I'VE desire to say that we have
definitely and originally determined
that we will not again participate in
a so-called central competitive field
conference We have already notified
the secretary of labor of our deter
mination and the reasons therefore"
said the telegram sent to Mr.. Nolan.
| PITTSBURG, Kans., April 6.-The
| Southwest Interstate Coal Operators
/ association, has invited the Kansas
union miners to meet representatives
of the association in conference at
Kansas City Monday to consider ne
gotiations for new contract.
NEW YORK, April 6-Week end
sessions of the anthracite miners and
operators subcommittee on wage con-
tract negotiations were agreed upon
by both parties today in an endeavor
to settle the hard coal strike.
| JOhn Il. LEWIS, pIoolucHI VI iHc
United Mine Workers, was at the
head of the union delegation on the
committee and the miners predicted
they would complete their case by to-
morrow night The operators, who
have retained a formidable staff of
economic research experts, announced
they would be ready by that time 10
support their demands for a decrease
in miners wages.
INDIANAPOLIS, April 6.-Plans for
pressing the work of organizing non
union West Virginia miners to support
a nationwide suspension of work, or
dered by the United Mine Workers af
America, We're considered today at a
conference here of William Green,
J secretary-treasurer of the union, and
Lawrence Dwyer. of Beckley w. We
a member of the unions executive
t board. Financial matters and The
sending of more union organizers into
! West Virginia were understood L.
+. have been under discussion.
Assurance was given to Mr.. Green
: by Mr. Dwyer that 21,0o0 miners il,
: the New River field md the Winding
! Gulf would be enlisted to the unions
! cause before the end of the week.
n and the West Virginia Leader suggest
/ ed that officers of the international
union later consider holding meet
ing at Bluefield, w. Va, to address
the miners, several thousand of whom
lhe asserted would come from non-un
I ion fields not yet reached by tie
unions organizers.
| CUMBERLAND, Md, April 6-While
4 the loading of coal is reported as con
!. tinuing in the Upper Potomac region
4 there is little justification for the &C
: tivity, operators declare. There Is M
q market for the coal, they point out, de
!. spite the strike. Only from $1.35 t.
S1.50 a ton is being offered on tht
market, while the cost of production
per ton is $3.50, the operators stated
Much coal on demurrage at the pric;
n is reported.
.. MORGANTOWN, w. Va, April e.
y Coal company officials in charge of tn,
rs mines in Monongalia county will b
4. held strictly accountable for the mar
- ufacture of moonshine liquor In tn
- mining communities under their con