The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-07-06
NINE WORKERS. DO
NOT See THE POINT
OPERATORS AND WORKERS ARE
IN AN APPARENT DEAD
LOCK OVER SITUATION
Meetings Are Being Held Daily In
Order to Find ~ Possible, Meana
Of Getting Men Back TO
Work

Washington.--All hope OF rettina
the striking coal miners back to work
this week was abandoned by admin
istration leaders Sunday when the
Joint conference Of operators and
miners adjourned In what appeared 10
be a hopeless deadlock.
The rock upon which the conference
again split was the fundamental point
for which the miners are contend.
ing. namely, that the new contracts
shall be based on the central eompe-
titive field at once. The conference
has not progressed I'm its deiiberntion
beyond the consideration OF the basis
OF settlement. The miners positively
refuse 10 bulge from their position
In the matter OF contract, insisting on
Interstate contract instead OF indie
pendent district settlement.
Sunday, however. there was a show
down In both camps. the operators
voting against conferences based on
the central competitive field and the
miners voting against the proposition
of independent conferences In each
district.
At the close Of the cofeNnce, Sec
retary Of Commerce Hoover and Sec.
rotary OF Labor Davis ISSUED this
statement:
upon suggestions for further sep
arate meetings Of the operators and
miners for further consideration Of
methods the conference adjourned.
Immediately after adjournment the
miners were called into executive Sos
sion by President John L. Lewis and
remained behind closed doors for
nearly two hours. The operators ad-
journed 10 the roof Of the Hotel
Washington and both sides reviewed
the deliberations TO date.
Whether or not the government has
submitted n counter-proposition was
not announced. nor was II denied.
That there had been general discus
sion Of other ways and means to
achieve the purpose Of the conference
was admitted.
As Secretary of Davis left the Red
Cross building he laughingly remarked
that both sides have voted on their
own separate propositions and each
has rejected the others plan. 30 II 10
now probable that they can agree
upon"
That was the only note OF optimism
In Sundays proceedings. The confer
ence was enlarged by the inclusion Of
Joseph Pursegiove. an Independent
operator who has been openly In IA
vor OF a settlement on the interstate
basis and James Morgan. district sec
Rotary Of the Wyoming district.
Following the conference Of min
ers' representative It was reported
that the miners contended that II they
the question OF contract
they would weaken their cause.
Only directly has the economic
question been touched upon, both sides
tenaciously TO the question
OF settlement as being paramount.
Action by the conference 20 be |
binding on either side must be BY |
unanimous vote. As organized. the |
operators have a slight numerical ad-
in the conference. but this is
not considered important because of
the necessity OF unanimous action.
The miners are also proceeding on
the theory that another conference
will follow in the event the confer
ences succeeded in "devising the agen-
~ for affecting a solution" OF the pro-
Dlems, as President Harding expressed
L.
A so-cailed independent group OF
operators. claiming 10 represent 90
200, 900 tons production. forced the
operators previously accredited 10
he conference TO recognize them.