The Washington herald., 1922-07-13
Operators Accept Hard
ing Plan, But Suggest
Notifications.
MINE WORKERS
CONSIDER REPLY
Policy Committee Will
Make Final Report
Saturday.


first to fall In line with President
Harding's mine strike proposal.
But the strings they attach to
their acceptance tend to confirm the
cerned will demand notifications.
Agreeing to the Presidents sugges-
ton that pending a permanent scale
the mine workers are to return
to work on the scale Of wages which
expired last March," the anthracite
operators, nevertheless. counter the
general arbitration proposal of the
President with the following sug
gestions:
1. That a separate commission
study and arbitrate the anthracite
controversy.
2. That this commission fix a wage
scale other than the present scale
as provided in the Presidents pro-
posal-
3. That a temporary wage scale
expiring March. 1928. will not pre-
vent "a recurrence of the present
unfortunate situation"
Call on President.
The anthracite operators accept
ance was made by the regular OPP
orators scale committee. headed by
S. D. Warriner. Of Philadelphia,
who. accompanied by the other
three members of the group. con-
ferred with the President late yes
lowing the conference, the President
announced the acceptance.
While making the three major
suggestions the basis of their ac-
ceptance. nevertheless the anthracite
operators carefully outlined their
position throughout the fruitless
negotiations which have been held
with the mine workers" This stand
in brief favors a lower wage ana
a reasonable means of wage adjust
ment from time to time to meet the
changing economic conditions of the
country"
Pending the meeting of the
miners policy committee here Sat-
urday. He anthracite negotiations
will be held in allegiance, and the
operators acceptance is regarded by
the miners as merely the first of
the three group expressions which
must be recorded before any further
steps can be taken toward settling
the strike.
Lewis Studies Reply.
However. President John l. Lewis
of the United Mine Workers, and
Vice President Philip Murray, now
in Washington, are both studying
the anthracite operators lengthy
reply of acceptance. They believe
IL may represent the stand to be
taken by the bituminous operators.
They are expected to bear in mind
the strings tied to the anthracite
reply in making theirs.
1t is expected that no serious op-
position will be offered the sug-
gestion of the operators that be
cause Of the wide difference in the
problems that confront the anthra-
cite and bituminous Industries, 1t
is practically impossible for one
commission to study and decide the
questions in controversy within a
reasonable period OF time"
However. exception may be taken
by the miners to the second sug-
gestion. that the anthracite oper-
ators cannot escape the conviction
that the re-establishment of the
scale Of wages in effect from April
l. 1920. to March 81, 1922, even as
a temporary expedient, will en-
barass rather than assist the effort
TO restore normal conditions"
Predict Another strike.
The miners, it was said, may also
reply to the third suggestion, that
a temporary wage scale will only
brng anoher strike next year.
The operators. in expanding
this suggestion. declared it their
understanding that the commits
sion shall be empowered and di-
rected not only to determine tenn
porary wages and working condi-
tions, but shall also be empowered
and directed to devise a method by
which periodical disturbances may
be avoided, and by which wages
and working conditions may be au-
tomatically adjusted, by negotia-
ton IL possible, and if not by such
machinery as ths commission shall
set up: and that its decision in
this regard shall be binding on
both parties.
We agree to abide without
reservation or qualification by the
findings of a commission so to be
appointed and empowered"
Awaiting the arrival of the
sinners policy committee. President
lewis called on Secretary Davis
yesterday and is said to have asked
for further explanation Of certain
phases OF the Presidents arbitra-
tion proposal.
Inquire rs to Status.
The miners particularly desire to
know oficially whether President
Harding Is satisfied that the men
representing the bituminous opera
tors are duly authorized to nego-
tiate a strike settlement to be ap-
piled to every operator in the
United States. II was said.
A direct question along this line,
II was thought, may be submitted
70 the White House before the end
Of the week.
Further concern is felt by the
miners as to whether the arbitra-
tion commission TO be created by
Congress under the Presidents pro-
posal Will be as powerful as the
Railroad Labor Board, with power
20 order men back to work and TO
conduct a subsequent Investigation
81 the coal controversy.