The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-20
HOOVER ISSUES
 WARNING OF COAL
 STRIKE IN MARCH
Agreements Between Miners and Operators Expire on April 1--PIans Not
 Formulated
Br Associated Press

"ahntuKtunt JduunEy Ibs -
 Warning of an impending gem
 ernl strike in the country's coal
 industry was given today by
 Secretary Hoover who declared
 that the public should know
 what to expect when the nation
 al agreements covering the wages
 and working conditions of miners
 expire April 1.
 'rhs stage" he said. appears to be set for a strike in the bituminous coal fields about the last of March"
 Mir. Hoover did not indicate what the governments plans for meeting such an emergency were but said that there had been no conferences be- tween representatives of the admin istration and the miners and opera tors for about six weeks with no fur ther discussions looking toward ad- justment of controverted questions scheduled at this time by the govern ment.
 While he did not discuss what the
 
 the event of general coal strike, the impression was gained that the ad- ministration was regarding without undue alarm. the possible approach of such a situation.
 New Wage Scales
 The time has approached for the construction of new wage scales and working contracts between the min CTS and employers in the union fields. negotiations have twice been set on foot between the mine workers and the employers with MT. Hoover, as the representative of the government taking a tentative part. Operators in the union fields. declaring that non-union coal producing territory has been taking an increasing pro portion of the business. have an nounced their purpose of reducing wages when the contract expires. while John L. Lewis, as president of the United Mine Workers has, in speeches before union gatherings and statements. asserted that the men would accept no reduction, but would seek increases.
 Wage Negotiations
 Ordinarily wage negotiations In the bituminous industry have been be-
 
 orators in what is known as the cen tral competitive field. inSiuding PennsylvaDsa, Ohio, Indiana and Ill., tnois, and tne union The agreement reached in this area has been the basis of similar agreements in all the union outlying districts.
 Certain of the Pennsylvania oper- ators have given notice that they would not renew the wage negoti- ations this year In association with other sections of the central field. wage scales, chiefly non-union, were the chief competitive factor.
 Secretary Hoover induced the op- orators to meet with President Lewis and submitted a proposition that the entire question be submitted to arbi- tration.
 This the union representatives re- fused on the ground that the consti- tuition of their organization forbade the submission of the question to out side arbitration. in advance of direct negotiation with the employers. Thi. position has remained unchanged, ai- though Mir. Lewis was called to Washington last week for a confer ence with Secretary Hoover. MINERS NOT STAGING SITUATION
 Shamokin, Pa, January 19.--"We are not staging any situation" said International President John l.. Lewis. of the United Mine Workers tonight when shown dispatches from Washington that Secretary of Com merce Hoover had issued a warming of an impending soft coal strike.
 We have no desire nor inclination to provoke an industrial conflict" said MT Lewis. If any conflict comes the responsibility will be upon the operators who already have taken an arbitrary position and are i'm sisting on a reduction in wages in- without giving any consid- eration to the fair contentious of the miners. We propose to defend our selves against this arbitrary attitude. We have proposed the usual confer ences following the expiration of the wage scale"