Evening star., 1922-07-14
Definite Statement
Awaits Action of
Policy Body.
LEWIS TELLS DAVIS
OF UNIONS STAND
NOn.Union Owners Send
Message to President
Opposing Proposal.

Rejection by the United Mine
Workers of America of the plan of
President Harding providing that
miners IN union mines go back to
work at the pre-strike wage scale
pending the decision of an arbitra-
tion commission to be appointed to
draw up new wage scale is prac-
tically certain, it was learned today
from a reliable source.
John l. Lewis. president of the
United Mine Workers, in confer
ence today with Secretary of Labor
Davis asked the Secretary to outline
more clearly the governments pro-
posal for arbitration in the coal con-
troversy. Secretary Davis took the
request of the head of the mine work.
ers to the cabinet meeting. with at
least two other counter proposals
suggested by Lewis. while the latter
and Phillip Murray, vice president of
fhe mine workers organization. went
into conference with conciliators of
the Department. of Labor. The basis
on which the miners will reject the
government plan was not made
known.
Definite announcement of the atti-
tude of the unions will not be made
officially until tomorrow. when the
policy committee, composed of more
than go district union heads. will
meet in Washington to pass on the
answer of the United Mine Workers
10 the proposal OF the government for
arbitration in the coal strike. The
President Is expected to be apprised
of the attitude of both the miners and
the bituminous operators by Monday
morning. The committee represent
ing the soft coal operators will meet
here at 2 o'clock Sunday night to de-
eide on the attitude of the operators
toward the government proposal.
Hoover Seeks to Hola Price.
In the meantime Secretary Hoover
met today. at the Commence Depart
Inent with q small committee repre-
senting non-union bituminous mines
10 discuss means for preventing
smaller operators from advancing
by voluntary agreement. Secretary
Hoover announced he would discuss
with the operators such measures as
could be taken to hold the smaller
operators to the voluntary price
agreement. but added that there were
no drastic means of enforcement in
the governments hands because of
the lack OF laws covering the situa-
tion.
The union heads were understood
today to have demanded through Sec
retary Davis that assurance be given
that non-union 1leds be included in
the government arbitration proposal.
unions asked that tre arbitration nego-
tiations will not include discussion
of working conditions under the cur
rent wage contracts, and the check
on system for collection of dues.
Hard Coal Operators Accept.
The operators bituminous group
are ready. it was learned today, to
present protests to the President
against continuation of the March,
1922, wage scale while the arbitra-
tion negotiations are in progress
Operators of anthracite mines have
practically accepted the plan of the
President. but 1t is pointed out that
allowance must be made for vastly
different conditions in the anthracite
industry as differentiated from the
bituminous industry.
Declaring their opposition to the
government arbitration plan, repre-
sentatiyes of the non-unior opera
tors wired the President today chat
non-union mines have accomplished
that reduction in the labor cost of
producing coal which is justified
and required by present economic
conditions and have sold coal at the
mines at prices consistent with the
wages paid, thereby making possible
to the public that reduction in the
cost of living to which 1t is entitled
and which should not now be sur