The New York herald., 1922-03-17
HUGE COAL SUPPLY
DISCOUNTS STRIKE
7O.000.000 Tons Available
When 100000 Walk Out
on April /.
L. s. KEEPS HANDS OFF
Secretary Davis Blames BIZ
luminous Operators for
Farley Failure.
GOMPERS WITH UNIONS
Says American Federation Of
Labor Will Support Miners
if They Go Out.
GOMPERS WITH UNIONS

With the Government powerless to
prevent it, and the public. which never
fowls until after it is nurt, apathetic,
double headed strike of the coun-
tfy's 100000 union coal miners seems
bound to begin on April I.
The bituminous operators formal
refusal TO meet the union and nego-
tiata a new. agreement is expected to
reach Washington to-day. In New
York the anthracite operators will go
through the form this afternoon of
presenting and the union of listening
70 i rejection of the miners demands
and counter proposals, which at best
could not be hammered into a COM
promise contract inside Of four weeks.
1t Is predicted the bituminous strike
Will last six months and the anthracite
strike six weeks The coal .ieup will
~ the strangest the country has ever
cccn. Both sides to the controversy
want ii, each for its own reasons and
tie surplus of mined coal viii be 50
large on April / that the public will
suffer little IL any deprivation unless
the suspension is prolonged further than
rion- union fields also will help to pre-
Vent an actual shortage of the soft coal
James j. Davis. Secretary of La Dor,
came to New y ork yesterday, but an
nounccd A hands off policy, and did not
see any operator or union representa-
tives.
Secretary Davis thus defined tile Adj
nlinistrative policy: THE Government
viii keep its hands off, and win give
~ \
nifty to settle their differences peace
fully. Unless a protracted strike results,
reaching a climax which will result in
direct injury TO the consuming public,
We shall not intervene
How could you intervene?' he was
asked. He said: THAT would be de-
c,ded if an emergency actually arose.
We need not cross that bridge until we
come to it,
BInmes the Operators.
Secretary Davis was in New York to
address the women's section of the Ma
tional Civic Federation. In that speech
and in a talk with a reporter for THE
NEW YoRK HERALD ne made plain his
belief that the bituminous operators are
seriously at fault in not meeting the
spokesmen for the United Mine Work
ers. He termed coal mining dark
industry"
1.-TWO years ago" he said. "the oper-
ators and the miners entered into a con-
tract which included an agreement to
meet again before the expiration Of the
contract on March 81 this year. | sent
notices 20 both sides calling their atten-
tion to this. The miners said they were
ready to meet the operators. but no re-
sponse has yet been received from the
operators. i don't care which side il is
that agreement was made and both sides
should meet to discuss new wage scale.
! say to both of them. You made the
agreement and you should stand by it'
The agreement was that the operators
end miners of the central competitive
field pennsylvania. Ohio, Indiana and
Iilinois) should select two representa-
tivcs Of each side from each State-six-
teen men--and that they and the officers
Of the United Mine Workers should meet
tcfore April 1, 1922, and make a new
agreement. II is true that in November
OF last year Judge A. Il. Anderson OF
the Federal District Court in Indian
epolis, said he believed conspiracy in
violation Of the Sherman law existed
between union miners and operators in
The central competitive field But At
torrey- General Daugherty has said that
ii,ig does not prevent in any way u
uceting or the two sides to discuss
new wage scale.
Huge stocks in sight.
lit is estimated that the amount of
hituminous coal on the surface on April
I viii be between $4,000. 900 and 10000
600 tons. We figure that all of the
ccuntry's 100000 coal cars will be
loaded This. with the production OF the
non-union fields. is enough to supply
the needs OF the United States for about
three and a half months. This produc-
tion will increase until the non-union
fields and such union fields as come
20 an agreement will be turning out
about all we can use, which Is about
10000 tons a week. so ] do not see
BOW there can be much distress.
'Of anthracite coal there will be from
seven to ten million tons on hand on