The Washington herald., 1922-07-24
OPERATORS
VISUALIZE HUGE
STRUGGLE AHEAD
Settlement May End Ma
tional Agreements and
Check OFF" System.

cally throughout business circles
in Pittsburgh there was disap-
pointment when President Hard
ing proposed that coal mining be
resumed on the 192o-1s22 scale and
the subject of wages and working
conditions in future be referred to
an arbitration commission which
might not be able to present
finding for several months. When
the United Mine Workers officials
rejected the Presidents proposal
and invited the operators to re-
turn home and produce coal there
was first a feeling of relief and
then a feeling of satisfaction.
No one at all conversant with
the facts fails to recognize that as
matters now stand a long, serious
and costly struggle is about to be
commenced. At no time before the
expiration OF the old scale at the
end of last March was 1t thought
that the coal strike would end
easily. 1t was the majority opinion
then that there would not be a set
tlement between the operators and
the United Mine Workers in the
usual way, by a sort of national
agreement being made. 1t was ex-
pected that the national organiza-
tion would lose much of its power
by the check-off being discontinued
and by there being local settle
ments'' which. however extensive.
would not be the national settle.
ment the organization had pre-.
vicusly had. 1t was recognized
that this change could not come
about except through a long strug-
gle, and there were not a few pre-
dictions that the coal strike as a
whole would not be settled untii
late autumn or early winter. There
were few predictions that the strike
would end within three months.
Present situation Expected.
The condition now presented.
therefore. is quite in line with
what was originally expected by
many observers. The operators
have before them what they have
felt all along they had before them
a resumption of mining without
sanction of John l.. Lewis. presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers.
Just what new element or sem
timent Is injected into the situa-
tion by the recent occurrences a,
Washington remains to be seen.
When President Harding made his
proposals of resumption and arbi-
tration a common view at the time
was that the morale of the strikers.
both the regular members of the
United Mine Workers and the
nonunion workers in the Connells
Vile and other fields who had
'Joined" the organization, would be
greatly strengthened.
Events proved that this was the
case. At several mines in the
Pittsburgh district men had prom
ised to return to work July 5. bur
when the date came they did not
appear. There were fresh strikes
In the Connellsville region. 1t re-
mains now to be seen whether this
strengthened morale will last any
length of time. The definite assur-
ance Of President Harding that his
administration intends to give
miners full protection when they
wish to work Ia, of course, no
more than should he expected, but
at the same time-the publicity is
likely to have an important influ-
ence.
Pittsburgh Mines May Open.
The coal operators hitherto union
look to the Pittsburgh district to
take the lead in resuming oper-
ations upon the Invitation" of
President Harding, and the Pitts
ourgh district operators evidently
intend to attempt the part expected
Of them. The trade expects impor-
tant developments in this connec-
ton within a very few DAYS.
AS to the Connellsville region.
which has hitherto been nonunion.
the operators generally expect the
II. c. Frick Coke Company to take
the lead, and 1t is no secret that
this company Is already prepared
to take active measures. The Con-
nellsville strikes developed the
hrst week of the union strike, and
the Frick company and other op-
orators promptly adopted a policy
OF letting the strikers wear them
selves out, II they would. 1t was
question of patience. but appar-
emily the operators formed a def
mite opinion as to how long II was
proper to exercise patience, three
months heipO