The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-17
Meeting This Afternoon May
End Strike Completely.
Lewis Arrives on the Scene to
Talk With Operators.
RESUME SOFT COAL OUTPUT
Total Tonnage of 6O,OOO,OOO in
Cleveland Agreement.
Conferences Are Planned to
Make Final Settlements.

Philadelphia, Aug. 17.-John l..
Lewis, president of the L. NJ. W. A,
and the district presidents of the an
thracite region arrived mere shOrtly
before II O'Clock today. Tor their con-
ference with the hard coal operators
this afternoon. The operators held d
conference today. The joint meeting
vas called for p. M.
Lewis upon arrival here issued the
following brief statement:
I'VE enter this conference hopeful
that an agreement will be reached.
do not care to predict what will hap
pen or to discuss any phases of the
anthracite situation.
THE bituminOus settlement is de-
Neloping according 20 cur expecta-
lions"
Must Agree OH Wage.
Tile return to the mines of Anthra-
cite workers was expected to follow
tnday's conference between officials of
the miners union ana the operators
here. The miners thru the scale conf
mittee have been asking 20 per cent
increase in their pay. The operators
wanted a reduction in wages.
Both sides, it was indicated, as the
conference was about to convene, were
ready to recede from their stand, and
close observers declared that there was
a likelihood of the 1921 wage scale
being adopted lot anOIheT IeTIn
Negotiations for the settlement of
the anthracite troubles were to be
opened in the offices of S. D. War
riner. president of the Lehigh Coal
and Navigation company at p. m.
today. 1t was declared to be the first
time in the history of the relations be-
tween two sides, that representatives
of the union have manifested will
ingness TO meet in the offices of their
employers.
II t5a onerators, and miners rem
resentatives reach an agreement this
week it is believed that a call would
be issued at once for a tri-district con-
ference at Wilkesbarre to .ratify such
actions.
According to the terms of the
Shamokin convention, agreed to by
the miners on January 20, either the
convention or a referendum vote is
necessary before the men are ordered
back to work
Deadlock at Chicago.
Chicago. Aug. 1.-THE conference
of Illinois coal operators and miners
scheduled here for today, will open
with an indication of a deadlock, ac-
cording to statements made by both
sides.
The conference is expected to last
several days and leaders on both sides
appear confident that before it is ad-
journed there will be a satisfactory
settlement despite the impasse threat
~AAGA ~ 49, 60 N-e- N@N-o@ NA-NSAN'
(By the Associated Press)
Chicago, Aug. 17.-CoaI digging has
been resumed in a few scattered mines
as a result of the partial settlement
at Cleveland, Tuesday, of the soft coal
strike. other sections were preparing
to resume mining soon and confer
ences in three states had been set for
operators and union leaders to con-
suit regarding agreements for their
districts. The situation, according to
statement of union chief and operators
was set forth as follows:
The miners will receive the same
wa ges as paid last year under the
Cleveland agreement which J. L.
Lewis, president of the union. charac-
teriZes as a basic agreement under
which state and local supplement
agreements could be drawn up be-
an effort to reduce wages by the oper-
ators represented at the Cleveland
meeting nor demands for a six-hour
day. formulated by miners meetings,
previous to the strike were pressed
Seven States Represented.
Seven states were represented in the
Cleveland meeting, West Virginia,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michi-
gan, Oklahoma and Washington, with
a combined tonnage of 6O.OOO,OO0, ac-
cording to Mr.. Lewis. Operators else
where questioned the tonnage figures
and declared only a small part of the
total central competitive field tonnage
was represented. The National Coal
association however, announced that
regardless of the relatively small rep
resentation the agreement would lead
the way to settlement in most sections
OF the country.
Altho the majority of Indiana and
Illinois operators did not sign the
Cleveland agreement conferences of
operators and union chiefs in those
states were set for Friday. South
western operators and union leaders
were to get together next Friday.
The check-off system OF deductinE
miners union dues from their wa ges
and paid direct to the unions by the
operators was retained in the Cleve-
land agreement.
Both Sides Optimistic.
notwithstanding hostility to the
characterization of the Cleveland set
tlement as basic agreement expressed
(Continued on PaEo SIX