South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-09
Mine GROUPS TO
GATHER AS COAL
STRIKE IMPENDS
l. ). Commission Summons
Operators and Miners to
Capital Next Week.
CONTRACTS END APRIL l
Only Central Competitive
Field Ia BE Covered IN
Jan. 3 Meeting.

WASHINGTON. Dec. S.-tEy a.
P.J-Tahng coguizance of coHdi-
tions which Indicate the possibility
OF another national coal strike In
the bituminous mines after April /.
the United States coal commission
today announced that mine op,rat-
ors and miners union officials coH~
cerned. would be invited TO meet
with il in washington nest week.
The session would marx the be
ginning OF an cndeavOr TO procure
mutual concessions in the interest
of the common good the announce
msnt said. and was necessary pc
cause OF grave danger that another
psIalysIs OF the business Of th"
country is impending.
Action by the commission follow
cd the adjournment this week OF
a Joint committee OF operators and
union officials which met "a Cd.
cagO. but failed TO achieve satisiaC-
tory preliminary arrange ments Tor
wage negotiations which would as
SUE continuance OF operations aft
er April
Representatives OF tho United
Mine workers OF America, I'm Wash
ington. were later informed that
John j.. Lewis. It's president. wouid
not be able 10 respond 10 the COM
missions invitation before Thurs
day. II Is expected that conferences
on the subject viii he taken up then.
and that the commission will proceed
10 executive consideration OF the ST.
UntioU.
Agreements Expire April I.
Wage agreements which now IL
pay scales and working conditions
ia the unionlzcd coal fields wors
made at Cleveland last summer and
run Only to April I, but contain a
paragraph providing FOR joint com
m!ttee meetings OF the bltuminous
employers and the union to ConsiC-
er terms OF a wage contract. which
might run after that date. The
committee created included for the
employers Phil Pcnna. representing
Indiana operators; II. II. watkins,
10. central Pennsylvania, II. y. Thy
Ior. fer southwestern operators. and
others while Mr.. Lewis, Phillip
Murray. president Of the union
and William Groeu. its secretary,
represented the men.
After several sessions tho ON
plOycs contingent brought forward
q proposal for wage scales % bs
fixed partially by arbitration and
partially by a sliding scale TO cor
respond with tho movement of coat
prices. There was also some cor
Liberation OF district aEreene nts.
but the proposals were declared to-
dav ay union spokesmcn who con-
fsrrec with the coal commission 20
hav@ been Immediately rejected by
the liners representatives.
- commission accordingly adj
i.~rbsI IFS NEGOTIATIONS FINALLY.
leavnV &c whole problem OF wage
coutrd. TO he taken up ON jan. .
by a srInt rage conference or the
central L'petl:ive field. Though
beth operators and miners Will cou-
sti,ute tho conference. only the ter
ritcry known as tho central COM
petitive field, composed of Illinois
. Indiana. ohio and western Fcnusyl-
vanla VIII be covered in It's lcNbera-
tion= The committee. which has
adjourned. gave representation to
miuirz territory outside as wei, as
inside this area
Report before Jan. Is.
nder the law creating the coal
commission. it Is obliged 90 make n
preliminary report by Jan 10 with
the object or assisting Iva attempts
90 TX tho new wage scale Since rs
creation tho commission has eu1-