New-York tribune., 1922-07-16
Miners HI e ads Unani-
mously Refuse Arbitra-
ton Proposals of Presi-
dent, Bringing Deadlock
Government Action
Coming g Monday
Answer Of Biturninous
Operators to Deter
mine the Next Move

~''o N''NH'e w VUSHtnQtOR BnrGdH
WASHINGTON. July 15.-President
harding to-day placed responsibility
for continuing the coal miners strike
on the workers themselves, after he
had been notified by the unions repre-
sentatives that they had decided to re-
Ject his proposal for arbitration. Gov
ernmental action would be postponed
it was said in brief statement Issued
at the White House, until the answer
Of the bituminous operators is received
on Monday.
Responsibility Put on Miners
The White House announcement con,
tanned the significant statement that
the President hoped the miners "fully
appraised the responsibility they as.
sumed in declining the governments
offer of means of instant adjustment
and resumption of mining"
The governments statement was the
elimination of day of conferences
between the President and Secretaries
Weeks, Hoover, Davis and Fall, on the
one hand, and the striking miners and
their international officers on the other
A conference at the Capitol between
Secretary Hoover and Senators from
the states included In the central com.
petitive fields was abruptly ended by
news from the White House that the
miners had rejected the Presidents
proposal.
Another development Of the day was
the issuance by the President of an in
terpretative statement clarifying the
proposals he made to the operators and
miners on July 10 for arbitration of
the coal dispute.
The statement authorized by the
President and issued shortly follow.
ing the departure of the committee
which presented the miners refusal to
arbitrate follows:
"The President met the policy COM
mittee of the United Mine Workers
and received the written declination to
accept the voluntary plan proposed for
the settlement Of the dispute which is
responsible for suspended mining ae.
tivities. There will be no announce.
ment Of any government plan to re-
lieve the situation until the response
VI tHO biCothlhSuo OROAo1OAo 10 AC-
ceived. It is expected to have their
report Monday morning. The Presi.
dent did not comment to the mine
workers committee on the decision re.
ported except to say that he hoped
they fully appraised the responsibility
they assumed in declining the govern
ment's offer Of a means Of instant ad-
justment and the resumption OF
mining"
Plan of Action Drafted
The miners rejection of the Presi-
dents plan was decided upon OF g
meeting in the Red Cross building
which began at 10 o'clock and did not
conclude until shortly before a. I'm
mediately the policy committee, headed
by international President John l.
Lewis and International Secretary Will
liam Green. went to the White House
and laid before the President a long
statement cf declination With the
President when the miners met him
were Secretary Davis and Secretary
Fall, who, with Secretary Hoover, had
been closeted with the President since
alton and definitely drafting the gov.
ernmcnt's plan for drastic action in the
event some other means are not found
for solving the strike problem.
Mr.. Hoover left the conference al
$40 to meet the Senatorial committee
at the Capitol. Secretaries Davis and
Fall left shortly after the departure Of
the miners, but neither would discuss
their conference with the President ex.
cept to say that it concerned only the
coal strike. Previously Secretary OF
War Weeks had consulted the President
briefly ON the railroad and mine
troubles.
On leaving the Presidents office
President Lewis of the miners held q
brief conference with his associates in
Secretary Christians room, but de.
clined to comment on it's Significance
except to announce that the policy com
mittee would resume its sessions in
the Red Cross building Monday morn
ing.
President Harrington of the Illinois
Mine Workers said that the President
thanked the delegation upon receiving
their statement, but made no further
comment. "The President looked dis
appointed" Mr.. harrington added.
Non-union Fields an Obstacle
The refusal of the miners to arbi-
trate the strike is predicated chiefly on
the fact that the governments program
does not contemplate including the
non-uni onized fields. The response also
points out that the view of the union
miners Is that the question of wages
fHonf mad