South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-21
G0MPERS SEES
SETTLEMENT OF
MINERS STRIKE
Forecasts Peaceful Solution
Soon Without Governmental
Intervention.
CLAIMS UNION VICTORY
Declares Operators Will Yield
for Conference Within
Few Weeks.

NEW YORK. April 2O a break
in thc dcadIock between bituminous
coal operators and miners and
peaceful settlement of She strike
within a few weeks" was forcasted
here Thursday night by samuel
Gompers. president of the American
Federation of Labor.
Government Intervention TO pre-
Won't shortage OF fuel for tho ma
ton viii not become "a necessity, Mr..
Gompers declared.
When DO is demonstrated that the
miners are standing firm. and are
prepared to hold ,out." he asserted.
"the operators will agree 10 confer
with them and a new wage agree
ment viii DE the result
The veteran labor leader had just
completed series of conferences
with union chiefs i'm the textile
strike OF New England He came
TO New York at the invitation Of
Samuel I-ntcrmeyer. council for the
Lockwood investigating committee,
To testify before that body Friday In
regard 90 labor organization prac-
tices
Asserting that "the drive OF big
business 10 smash the labor unions
had lost it's force" Mr.. Gompers de-
clared that with "A recent demiuui-
ion OF from p TO percent in ma
tion-wide unemploymen as report
ed by the government investigators.
there is "A little bit Of sunbeam in
the industri0l situation"
Trade Revival Nears
-rrrfr-af - -o1n "a nd rqrQvnfq
turing ne said. has already set in,
and will be one Of the deciding fac
tors i'm the coal strike No shortage
OF fuel threatens the larger indust-
r.cs for they are well supplied for
the emergency. he said. But ne fore
saw i'm the demand OF the smaller
manufacturers. local enterprises,
public utilities and domestic consum-
crs. q STRENGTHENING market for coal
which would compel producers to
make overtures TO the miners. in
order that the collieries might be
rcopened The federation chief
chara cterized the coal and textile
strikes as the turning point in the
wave of wage reduction which has
swept the country in the last year.
THE united protests have checked
any further attempt to reduce wages.
not only i'm the basic industries, but
i'm all industries throughout the no.
ton" he said. eft marks the turn
ing Of the Industrial tide
Concerning the textile situation,
in New England i1 the thirteen
weeks or the union workers strike
against 30 percent reduction in
the scale. Mr.. Gompers said the men
had simply revolted against the
despotic rule of the mill owners. "
and they would stand firm until the
"Dr. JcJlyU and Mr. Hyde subter-
flees or the employers were re-
vcalcd.
Conference Marks Time
The anthracite miners and oper-
ators subcommittee on wage con-
tract negotiations continue 90 mark
time. while the union delegates wait
impatiently for the operators 10 an
rounce the program Of wage rcduct-
ion with which they have announced
they countcred the miner 10 de-
mauds for wage Increases and inn
proved working conditions
Thursday session was occupied
with discussions OF two minor de-
mauds number IL. relating to the
establishment of the mine scale for
employees OF stripping contractors
and number 70. wherein the union
demands collicry men be given OPP
portunitv 20 work fun time
I'm reply 90 complaints OF miner
delegates that az some coIlieries their
men were working only six 90 seven
hours day. the operators said that
business conditions prohibited the
operation Of all coIIieries at straight
tiEht-hour shifts.
The subcommittee vii resume
sessions Friday when. according
to- = T.. Warmer, spokesman for
the operators they will submit to
tho miners their wage counter re-
MORT