New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-31
New Compromise Offered
by Senator Pepper Is
Discussed at Meetings
Of Operators and Men
Fixes Present Pay
Until Sept. l. 1923
Borah Promises Help in
Pushing Legislation; De-
bate Goes On i'm House
Special Dtspaeoa to The Trloans

Settlement of the anthracite contro-
versy within twenty-four hours was
forecast tonight by men in close
touch with both sides while the oper-
ators were holding a secret meeting
in the Ritz-Carlton and the mine
union leaders. were III conference at
the Bellevue -Stratford.
The operators, it is believed, have
completely abandoned their demand
for arbitration. The only important
question still to be determined is
said to be the length Of the term for
which the old wage scale shall be
restored.
To all appearances the miners
still were holding out tonight for q
contract at the old rate to run until
March 81, 1924. If that is accepted
by the operators it will mean a COM
plete victory for the union.
Senator Pepper, Of Pennsylvania,
who has played leading part in the
peace negotiations. is understood to
have urged the miners to hasten set
element by compromising on March 81,
1928.
Lewis Summons Executives
First indication that q settlement
was in sight came to-day when it was
learned that after the all-night con-
ference ending early this morning in
Washington, John l.. Lewis, interua-
tional president of the United Mine
Workers, telegraphed the hard coal
district presidents to come to this city.
District presidents Kennedy, Golden
and Brennan arrived tonight and went
into conferences with Lewis and Philip
Murray, international vice president.
Just before the meeting Lewis an
noanced that they were to discuss the
so-calied compromise plan put forth by
Senator Pepper, but that nothing what
ever would be said about it tonight.
Confirmation of the reports current
in this city that operators have
abandoned arbitration demands was
obtained in dispatches from Wilkes
Barre, where the Rev. ]. j. Curran.
pastor of st. Mary's Roman Catholic
Church, predicted the end of the strike.
Father Curran. who became famous in
the 1902 strike, based his prediction,
with Lewis. He let it be known that
the length of the contract is the only
issue remaining between men and re-
ports.
Pastor Predicts Settlement
"With this slight difference between
them," he said, the public has good
reason to hope that the strike shall
be settled within the next twenty-four
hours"
Father Curran returned to Wilkes
Barre Tuesday after q series Of con-
ferences in this city with Lewis and
other union leaders and Samuel d.
Warriner, president of the Lehigh Coal
and Navigation Company and spokes-
man for the operators.
Mr.. Warmer returned to Philadel-
phia from his Washington conferences
this afternoon. When he reached his
apartment he said no meeting of oper-
ators would be held to-day, indicat-
ing there might be session to-mor-
row.
Later it was learned that w. w.
Inglis, ". L. Connell, w. j. Richards,
Mr.. Warriner and other operators were
in session at the Ritz-Carlton. Repeat
ed knocks at the door failed to elicit
any response and there was no an
swer to telephone calls.
Mine union leaders refused to go
into any discussion of the plan put
forth by Senator Pepper for the settle
ment OF the strike. In previous talks,
however, all the union leaders agreed
that the so-ealIed arbitration" OBJ
stacle was to be considered as merely
the operators alternative to this long
contract demanded by the miners.
Contract Real Obstacle
! In other words, the real stumbling
block to settlement he's been the diff
ference of opinion as to how long the
contract should run. Miners objected
to arbitration mainly because they
were put under fire by the terms.
Operators We're quite willing to sign
until next March 81 under the old wage
rate. In some circles it was believed
they were willing to sign until that
date, with the question Of how to de-
termine wages thereafter left open.
That, at least, was what the miners
believed.
Such contract, in the opinion of the
miners, would give the operators every
thing and the miners nothing. With
assurance that the demand viii exceed
the supply to some extent, despite cur-
tailnlent of the anthracite market. tho
operators could expect to gat enough
for their coal to make UP for the five
months Of jdleness.
Miners felt that they should have a
contract running q year and seven
months to compensate them for that
idle time. Therefore they have held
out for such contract. That is ons
point left open in Senator Peppers
plan. Presumably ii was the one point
discussed tonight at the meeting Of the
operators. For the present il msy be
said that the miners arc not payticu-
larry interested in how others expect
TO FIX future wage rates il they can get
the old scale until 1924. That does not
mean that they will bind themselves to
any form Of arbitration which is likely
TO swing public opinion against them,
but 1t does mean that q settlement NAV
be reached with that question still
open or at least not definitely decided.
Borah Pledges Cooperation
Fyons Tho Trsbars's woshanaton Suyess
WASHINGTON, Aug. So--Senators
pepper and Reed consulted Senator
Borah fo-day on notifications Of the
Agrah e0af cf,tys M sars Kill