Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-02

| train late this AFTERNOON anu tdkeH "
Washington for face -to-face session
with the President.
This was learned today as the hard
coal operators were about to go into
session at the Offices of the Reading
Coal and Iron Company in the Read
ing Terminal Building.
| The body meeting is the General
| Policies Committee of the anthracite
operators. Of which 3. d. Warriner,
president of the Lehigh Coal and Navi.
J. Richards. president of the Reading
Coal and Iron Company, is n member
OF the Policies Committee.
Word From Conference Room
Word from the conference room,
shortly after the session got under way.
bore out the rumOrs that it might be
necessary to take the operators to
Washington to discuss the situation
with President Harding.
'Will there be peace by nightfall?'
one Of tho operators, who came out of
the meeting, was asked.
He replied cautiously: That is an
exaggerated rumor.
Concerning the reason for the dis
putc among the operators as TO the
time period for which the projected
agreement with the miners should run,
the same operator said:
"The original conference was postu-
lated on President Harding's letter urg-
ing that an agreement be signed with
the men to run until April /, of next
year. There was no other thought than
this when the conference was called.
This conference was held just about
the time John L. Lewis, president of
the United Mine Workers, won the BIZ
luminous strike. Mr.. Lewis then be-
gan to demand an agreement that would
run until April /. 1924
There are fifteen operators at the
conference. Their principal business all
morning was reading through sheaf of
response to their kilograms of inquiry
as to sentiment concerning strike set =
tlement.
The operators term the reading of
the kilograms surveying the mandate.
They will make up their minds from
the perusal of the kilograms. whether
tho country at large demands that they
settle the strike.
Many Mayors Pass the Buck"
There are kilograms from various
Mayors and Chambers Of Commerce.
Many of The Mayors are said to have
committal answers The Philadelphia
/ Chamber Of Commerce Is missing from
the list Of organizations thar have re-
sronded to the operators inquiries.
Among those present at the meeting
! today. besides MeSsrs. Warriner and
Richards, were W. l.. Connell, Captain
W. A. May. Percy Madeira. W. J..
Dodson. Allan Dod>on. John Markle
c. +. Huber and W. W. Inslis.
Mr.. Warrinsr. it Is understood. ad.
vocates a speedy peace. There is 9
strong minority. according TO the bes,
available information. among the mem.
bers Of the committee, which steadfastly
has opposed giving in to the peace pro
posals.
No Mandate From Washington
Today's meeting is resumption oI
the adjourned session at which the oper'
ators recently made the statement tha
they would agree to make peace will
the miners if there were Il public
mandate.
Word from Washington yesterday
was in emphatic reputation of any
public mandate that might serve as
en- excuse to increase the price of Goa
to the public above the present higl
mark. The operators meeting today
will consider whether public sentiment
is Of a character to justify the BELLE
that an informal public mandate haE
been given.
This extreme measure will not b
necessary. operators who favor peaC
hope. Many of the operators are look
ing longingly to the still indefinite time
in the future when the mines will b.
going full blast to make up for los
time. While the bitnm!nous strike wa
in progress the anthracite men had lit
tie to fear.
With the soft c0s, mine strike set
tied. however. reports that btuminou
production is greater even than norma
have proved especially disturbing I,
the hard coal men.
Soft Goa production is going o1
apace. and thousands Of householder
who never thought Of burning anythin
but the highest grades Of anthracite ar
putting in orders for all the soft Goa
they can get. The fact that people o
the Middle West use bituminous Goa
largely and with perfect satisfaction II
heating their houses is becoming gen
orally KIN in the Fast, and the soft
coal zines, which never have wOrkP
TO capacity before. are making herOi
I%orts to meet demands greater thaI
they have ever known. Every one VIII
can get soft coal Is getting It, an
countless houscholdcrs are saying tina
they will get even with the hard -cou
people by not buying from them at al
this year
Hope in Financial Argument
These are some of the argument