The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-02-06
ALL SIGNS INDICATE
COAL STRIKE APRIL 1
Diggers Say Wages Must Be
Readjusted; Have to Cut,
Contend Owners.
SCALE MEETING SOON
Time Set for Walkout
Would Be to Advantage of
ANTHRACITE Owners.
FIRM IN BITUMINOUS AREA
Employers Refuse to Confer
With Miners After Posting
Reduction in Pay.

In the opinion of men thoroughly
Informed as to the situation in the
coal mining industry coal strike on
or about.April Is almost a certainty.
Whether such a strike will affect both
tie anthracite and the bituminous
coal fields is problematical, andvt is
equally uncertain what the result of
such strike would be to the miners.
the operators and the public.
John l.. Lewis, President of the
United Mine Workers of America, in
a communication to THE New York
HERALD says:
IF no joint understanding can be
reached in either the anthracite or tie
bituminous coal fields before the ex-
piration of the present agreement 1t
is, of course, logical to assume that
the mining operations will be sus-
pended
A. S. Learoyd, spokesman for the
general committee of anthracite OPP
orators. says:
THE operators are hopeful that there
may be no suspension of work in the
mines. but they are fully aware tha<
the public demands lower prices for
domestic anthracite. which certainly
cannot be brought about by increasing
the cost of production
Complicated Situation Results.
Behind the two statements lie claims
and counterclaims, allegations and as
sumptions and as complicated a situa-
ton as has developed In the coal indus
try. taken as whole. in many years.
The existing situation and the threat
Of Strike serve to emphasize the fact
that the sterilization Of the coal in
dustry, to which the strike In time may
lead, is probably one of the greatest ma
tional problems of reconstruction.
New Workers. prone to seneralize,
usually refer to any sort OF strike
in the coal business as a coal strike.
Not all Of them realize the vast differ
ence. especially in relation to this city,
between anthracite and bituminous coal.
Many others think that 1t Is Illegal to
use biturinous coal in this city.
AS matter of fact. large amount,
possibly more than 100000 tons, of
bituminous coal Is used In and about
the city Of New York yearly. 1t Is
used by large Industrial concerns, pub
lie service corporations and the like. and
as they have mechanical devices for
consuming the smoke they comply with
the law, which Is directed against the
smoke nuisance and not against the use
of soft coal Therefore the city as n
whole Is interested in both sorts of coal.
but as anthracite Is the coal used for
domestic purposes there is more gen.
eral interest in that sort, more knowl-
edge Of II, and more fear of strike
in the anthracite fields than of one In
the fields In which soft coal is mined.
Differences I'm Coal Fields.
But the situation In the two sorts of
coal fields and In the two industries
is at present 80 very different that 1t
is essential to treat of bituminous and
anthracite coal separately IL the situa-
ton Is to be made clear.
The minos producing anthracite. differ
ing from those which produce soft coal,
are thoroughly unionized. Operators OF
anthracite mines do not have to COM
pete with other mines in which the
labor Is non-union and therefore
cheaper. This fact has marked bear
ing on the present sittIation About