The New York herald., 1922-06-28
HARD COAL STRIKE
PLANS ABANDONED
Progress Also Is Being Made
Toward Settlement of Btu
minous Dispute.
ADMINISTRATION TO ACT
Only Condition Is That There
Must Be Official Part in
All Conferences.
ADMINISTRATION TO ACT
Special Dispatch to THE New York HEnArp.
New York Herald Bureau,
10 I

Special Dispatch to THE New York HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., June 81.
Efforts by the Administration to-
ward settlement of the bituminous coal
strike are making progress, and an
official statement may be made from
the White House in few days.
After the Cabinet meeting to-day 1t
was officially stated that the Govern
ment would take all possible means to
avert public suffering. 1t was made
plain. however, that the present eff
forts are designed merely to bring set
tlement between the contending
parties without the Government TAX
ing any direct hand.
Information in the hands Of officials
indicates that the country is running
into a coal shortage and that public
want Is only matter of short time.
That some more or less definite
basis has been found for common
meeting ground or for discussion look
ing to possible settlement Is indicated
by news from Wilkes-Barre that an
absolute anthracite strike has been
postponed because of the receipt of a
message from John L. Lewis, presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers, fol-
lowing his conference with President
Harding.
Mr.. Lewis to-day gave no indication
Of any understanding that would lead to
change in attitude on the part of the
miners. and he vvuld not be reached to
learn the nature of his message 70
Wilkes-Barre.
Must be Represented.
An official statement from the White
House was to the effect that the Gov
ernment would not approve or be party
TO any conference agreement in which
the Government was not represented
This was taken to mean that the Gov
ernment would have to be party
to any agreement or understanding
reached upon which some question of i'm
munity for the mine operators under the
Sherman act might be involved. Injunc-
ton proceedings are now standing
against certain of the operators, and
they have declined to enter anything but
district agreements on this account.
Mr.. Lewis Is insistent on interstate or
national agreements. or at least an
agreement In the central competitive
fields involving four States. The opera
tors insist upon district agreements.
citing the Indianapolis injunction as
making 1t impossible for them 10 make
broader agreements. Government par
ticipation in general conference might
bridge this gap.
Speaking of the White House state
ment that in any joint conference Of
operators and miners the Government
must be represented either officially or
unofficially, Mr.. Lewis said:
This suggestion does not contemplate
ary new procedure The agreement
which expired on April 1. was negotiated
In New York on Marrh ?i. 1920. 1t was
made at the command OF President WI l.
son, who addressed a letter TO both mirc
workers and operators Representatives
commanding each side to write articles
OF award OF a bitum'nous coal commits
sion into wage agreements. In the
making OF the previous agreement, which
was negotiated in Washington on Octo-
b.r 6. 1917, Government representatives
Participated in the Joint conference be
tween miners and operators.
Work of DR.. Garfield.
This agreement was then executed
by and with the consent of DR.. II. A.
Garfield, United Sta es Fuel minis
traitor, acting as the agent of the Presi-
d, rt under power granted by law. The
United Mine Workers have moth
ing to conceal and would have no objec-
ton to a representative of the Govern
ment sitting in Interstate joint con-
ferences which might be assembled for
the purpose of adj sting the present
strike situation.
There is only one logical procedure
10 settle the strike. That is a confer
ence somewhat of the same nature as
previous conferences which have ad-
justed the problems Of the coal industry
OF the last twenty-five years"
Mr. Lewis said that coal famine and
public suffering were certain to come.
The production loss up to date. he de-
clarcd, particularly that In the anthra-
cite fields, never could be recovered.
The railroads cannot .urnsh the ears
or handle the traffic TO bring a normal
coal supply. he declared, and every day
the situation must grow worse.
I'VE do not want to see the public
suffer-" he said, "but the miner is suf-
fering and he must make n finish fight"
Mr.. Lewis described the mine workers
as the shock troops of organized labor,
and said IL the union was broken now
IL would be the end Of organized labor.
WILKES BARRY, Pa. June 27.-Upor
eceipt OF telegram from John l.
Lewis, president Of the United Mine
Workers, who conferred with President
Harding at Washington, the general
scale committee OF the anthracite work
ers to-day abandoned all plans for inn
mediately calling an absolute strike and
the contemplated withdrawal of pump
men from the mines.
Vote Was for strike.
The committee adjourned indefinitely,
leaving the anthracite situation as II
was before Il convened Monday morn