The New York herald., 1922-08-10
Cleveland Mine Confer
ence to Break Up if
More Do Not Agree
to Sign Pact.
NATIONAL PLAN ENDS
Only Chance Left Is for
Lewis to Make State
Settlements.
OGLE CALLS CONFERENCE
Directors Of National Ass0cia-
tion to Meet in New York
Monday.

Spectol Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD
CLEVELAND. Aug. 9.-With the back
bone of the old central competitive
field practically broken by the re-
fusal of Indiana and Illinois operators
to participate in the interstate coal
conference, it appeared inevitable here
to-day that any settlement which may
issue from the conferences here be-
tween the United Mine Workers and
operators representatives would be
reached only on a basis of State agree
ment.
The central competitive field, COM
prising Ohio western Pennsylvania,
Indiana and Illinois. by reason of the
magnitude of their production have
virtually controlled mine wage settle
ments in the past With the seces-
sion Of Illinois and Indiana operators,
however. hardly sufficient tonnage is
represented at the current confer
ences here to form the basis OF a ma
tional agreement
The only hope now, according to
close observers Of the situation, is that
sufficient production can be mustered
TO warrant officers OF the union sign
ing with operators now here and then
srdeavoring to sell the proposition to
other operators.
Desire to realize this hope OF mus
tering the necessary additional tonnage
representation was the underlying cause
for the decision of the joint conference
this afternoon in voting second TWEEN
ty-four-hour adjournment~to p. NJ. to-
morrow. The proposition was adopted
unanimously four minutes after the
miners and operators had entered the
assembly room in the Holienden Hotel.
Lewis Must Recede.
The adjournment taken at the first
Joint meeting Monday was 70 give oper-
ators in outlying districts time TO par
ticipate in the wage scale meeting, but
according to a statement issued by John
T.. Lewis. president of the United Mine
Workers. and Michael Gallagher. head
of the vein operators of Ohio. the one
day allowed was not sufficient.
1T lis apparent the time allowed was
that another twenty-four hours elapse
before the conference shall attempt 10
function both leaders declared.
One operator who has refused 10 par
ticipate In the conference here. bit who
Is keeping the proceedings under close
scrutiny. summarizes the situation thus
Whatever additional signers are se-
cured will be obtained purely on state
agreement basis, although the terms may
be- the same as entered into at the
Cleveland conference. This will mean
that Lewis must recede from his orig
inal position Of not entering into state
agreements. IL will also mean con-
cession on the part OF operators IN ac-
cepting the scale agreed upon at the
ioint conference. In this way both sfdes
win have made some concessions"
The scale will be met In central and
a portion OF Western Pennsylvania but
on strict open shop basis. The wage
will be paid. but the union viii not pc
recognized and the check off will not be
a part OF the agreement. Under no cir
cumstances will the check OF be met ny
Indiana operators. either.
With the resumption OF the meetings
scheduled for this afternoon even opu-
mistic representatives of both sides are
unwilling to predict any more than
probable agreement between the big lake
coal shippers and their men as the flnai
outcome.
President a. NJ ogle OF the National
Coal Association, after his defeat Tues
day In tho meeting OF the Indiana Op-
orators Association at Terre Haute.
which he tried 10 induce 10 be repre-
sented here. has called meeting of the
directors OF the National Coal Associ-
alton for Monday In New York city
Definite information has reached both
operators and mine union officials here
that the Pittsburgh Coal Producers As
ISOLATION. using unexpected influence on
the Indiana operations. which Mr.. Ogle
was unable to counteract, persuaded
the Hoosier mine owners to decline the
Invitation to participate. In what was
70 have been a conference to hx ma
tiona basic wage and countrywide work.
ing conditions
ouIc DeHcd.
IN one interview given out by an
official OF the association Monday the
statement was made that "Ogle had
nothing To do with the Western Penn
syivania field and that any OF his acts
with reference TO settlement OF the
wage question or worling conditions
was not bindiag on Western Pennsyl-
vania operators"
According 10 the Information received
here to-day the Indiana operators be-
cause Of the strength Of the Pittsburgh
Coal Association IN the bituminous In
dustry. bowed 20 the will OF the Western
Pennsylvania men and refused to come
into the local conference. The plans
Continued IN Second Page.
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