The Washington times., 1922-03-21
COAL STRIKE IS
SURE TOCCAhE,
AvERSCUSH|NG
City Club Hears Operators
Side Of Controversy at
Weekly luncheon.
There is no hope nor way Of avert.

There is no hope nor way Of avert.
Ing the nation wide coal miners
strike scheduled for April /. affect
Ing 400, 900 miners. George Fl. Cush-
ing, managing director OF the Amer
lean Wholesale Coal Association, to-
day told members OF the City Club at
their weekly luncheon.
The miners side OF the pending
strike was outlined before the club
last week by James Lord, director OF
the mining department Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor, who
charged the operators with break
Ing faith with the public and their
Agreement with the miners In refus.
ing to negotiate a new agreement
with the miners.
The operators were defended at
today's meeting, and the charges
were refuted by the managing direc-
tor OF the Coal Operators Associa-
ton
Cushing said that under the agree
ment clause in the miners contract
with the operators. made March 81
1920, there was to have been an
Interstate joint conference held prior
to April l. 1922.
because Of the operators re-
fusal to abide by this clause they
have been damned and public Of
ficials have been eloquent in their
denunciation," the speaker said.
"The public, officials in Washing
ton know why the contract was
broken. They may abuse the coal
operators Us much as they please,
they may ring In all the charges OF
contract-breaking and profiteering,
but 1t has come to a showdown and
the operators are today going to
speak their mind.
"The clause has been broken. and
will remain broken, we shall not hold
that conference and the people are
entitled to know why. This is the
reason:
The United States Court forced
the breaking Of the contract and the
coal operators had nothing to do
with 1t.
Hardly was the ink dry on that
agreement before the United States
District Attorney at indianapolis
carried that contract before the Fed
eral grand jury and an indictment
was returned against 226 operators
and all Of the officials Of the union.
THE indictment charged that the
contract was a conspiracy to re-
strain trade. The case Is still in
court, and has never been brought to
trial.
Action now. in the face OF these
indictments, would be defiance OF
the United States Courts. 1t is
either q case of the operators defy
ing the highest courts or the miners'
union, and we shall defy the union.
We shall not negotiate and the strike
IL bound to come" the speaker de-
clared.
with this situation staring him
In the face any public official in
America is at liberty to campaign
for Joint conference to his hearts
content.
THE operators frankly admit they
stand to lose everything and gain
nothing by violating this clause OF
that contract; they must suffer a
definite loss Of public favor, but the
fact remains that they were forced
to break the contract because of the
courts Interference" Cushing told
his audience. 49,.
Despite all this. however, the
worm has turned and the operators
propose to fight the issue through.
The coal operator stands at a point
where he must see the cause on one
side and effect on the other. He
has to turn about and fight some
ono TO save his own face. He does
not propose to fight the public,
because he knows the public's COM
~,