Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-23
MINERS TO Leave
PEACE DOOR OPEN
Lewis and His Aides Stay Here
Until Thursday to Await
Washington Word
CONFERENCE BROKEN OFF

ihe door TO settlement of the hard
coal strike is being held vide open by
the union leaders. Following the COL
lapse of the negotiations with the op-
orators yesterday. John l.. Lewis.
president of the United Mine Workers {:
philip Murray, the vice president, and
their aides are still at the Bellevue
Stratford. They will not depart until
tomorrow at least.
IT is understood they are waiting for
some word from Washington that may
reopen the negotiations. The opera
tors made arbitration the sole issue. ="
said MIR. Lewis today. The other is
sues are not insurmountable.
The miners will not arbitrate. We
VIII not compromise thar principle.
ihere is no equity in arbitration. Ar
bitratiOn merely means two groups of
men sit down together ana some ono
loses out. \ thing is either right or
wrong. Arbitration disturbes the tran
quillity of the country
No word has been heard from Prcsi.
dent Harding, Mr.. Lewis said, but he
admitted he had been in touch with
Washington since the conference
closed
Thomas Kennedy. president of Dis
trict No. :, of Hazleton, is the only
official who has departed.
Lewis Meets Glasgow
Later this afternoon Mr.. Lewis con.
ferrcd with William A. Glasgow Jr
of counsel for the union. This is con-
sidercd significant. as Mr.. Glasgow
aside from his legal activities, has been
active in the work Of Cancellation. and
it was through his efforts the recent
conference between miners and opera
tors was arranged.
Operators in their final proposal 70
the miners Yesterday offered a contract
to run until April of next ycnr. with
wages fixed at the scale in effect when
the strike began on April l. and uro-
posed method described as media
tion' for the establishment of rates of
wages after that date.
lEe miners representatives demand
ed n contract running to April 1. 1924.
at rates of pay effective when tho strike
was called. and insisted that all sem
blances Of arbitration be eliminated
from any contract.
Bitterness was marked on both sides
as the conference adjourned. Mr., War.
riner referred to the union men us
Lewis and his bunch" The miners
charged that operators set out delib-
erately to break up the conference.
In support Of that charge miners
pointed out that the statement defining
the positions Of the operators was
mimeographrd. The statement was is
sued within ten minutes after the con-
ference adjourned. Lewis and his as
sociates charge it was prepared and
made ready for distribution last Friday.
Brief Joint Statement
Tho following hripf ioipt fo oto,poot
was issued when the adjournment was
announced:
The anthracite conference met this
afternoon. The conference was unable
to agree and adjourned to meet at
the call of the secretary upon the
request of either the miners or
operators.
In the three page statement issued q
few minutes later the operators outlined
the various steps taken in the confer
ence. Originally operators proposed
arbitration next year by board to be
named by the President. That was re-
jected.
Then operators proposed arbitration
by the Anthracite Cancellation Board
and three referees to be named by the
presiding Judge Of the United State.
District Court of Appeals for the Third
Judicial District. They agreed to restore
the old wage rates until next March 81.
In the first plan the award would
have been binding on both sides. In
the second, it did not bind either party
to the proceeding, ten days being al
lowed to accept or reject any award or
ruling that might be made. The miners
rejected that also.
Operators took the position that while
demand for coal would support the old
wage rate for the next seven months,
they have no assurance that 1t will
continue afte- that period. They insist
that they should not be called on to
place burden Of high wages on the
public.
Mr.. Warriner also pointed out that
the union men demanded Of anthracite
operators more than was asked Of tho
producers The contract in
that case runs only for seven months.