Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-04-07
UNION MINERS HEAD
|. RAPS OPERATOR FOR
FALSE STATEMENTS
Watkins Would Destroy ReIa-
tions Between Workers and
Mine Owners, He Petorts.
mo SEPARATE AGREEMENT

i}y Associated Press 10 Every Evening.
New York. Arril T. Statements de-
Tending bitnminous coal opera tors IN
refusing 20 negotiate general agree
ment with the miners union. made by
r i Watkins. a bitumnoua mine
operator of Pennsylvania. before tho
House labor committee % Washing
ton yesterday, were attacked here to-
day by Jonh l.. Lewis. president Of
the United Mine Workers Of America
Mr. Lewis said Mr. Watkins decja-
rationa served merely 90 intensity the
confusion and bitterness now exist
ing"
Mr. Watkins was quoted ~ having
said 81 would ne financial suicide" for
operators 90 enter any agreement with
fho miners not based on conditions in
each district: that CONSUMERS nave
grown dIsgusted with The constant
failure 20 get deliveries from union
ized nnlnee;" that Mr. Lewis' fes,j-
monv before tho House BODY had been
very misleading" and That. IN tho
/ enthracite field. those lahor Iords
I have boen guilty of an sbure of power
+ in. calling strike whom tho mine
owners wern meeting their every call
for meeting and negotiation
70 these charges Nr Lewis replied.
Statements of Nr Watkins vere
! rharactoriN'ic and typical ~ policy
which ne has followed for some time.
he is engaged IN p fac,ionai quarrel
with he other operators ~ Central
Peunsyl"snje. the other faction being
headed by Ken Clark The loss Of
tonnage ~ which Mr. Watkins %
bitterly Complains. is largely due %
fierce competitive warfare with his
competing rivals
The miners chief declared ,hat Mr..
watkins, for some time. has been
eng gsged in frantic effort TO destroy
, ne relationship between operators
and miners in Central PennsyIva MIA
; HIs utt"rances are dictated solely by
hls selfish personal interests"
His testimony and MIA attitude arc
. or destructive nature and serve
, merely 20 intensity tho confusion and
bitterness now existing" asserted Mr.
Lewis. The reactjonary attitude o,
a such men IL largely responsible for
4, 1.-The arbitrary attitude Of coal opera
tors In refusing 20 meet representa-
o lives of the mine workers and causing
. them 20 assume their indefsnsibls
a policy of repudiating their contract
q Obligations
4 Mr.. Lewis replied to Mr.. Watkins
&c plea for negotiation of sepsrate waR.
"a contracts by districts when he sale
q last night before the Central Trade,
and Labor Council Of Greater New
o., York:
10 1t Is not far cry from s4paratl
81 greements between groups Of opera
=, tors and district unions 70 the fedora
70 system Of individual contracts betweei
), operator and workers. Organized ia
4, hor would then become helpless n
20 said, for it would have relinauishe
al the principle on which II was founded
+, that in union there is strength "
30 With Mr.. Lewis as their chic
spokesman. union members ~ the an
thracite miners and operators com
Inlttee on wage contract negotiation
= today expect 70 finish presentation &
testimony in support of their "a de
20 mands for Increased wages.
u. The committee now has been in see
sion for three weeks. 4 similar tim
IL Continued on Dage 6.