New-York tribune., 1922-08-26
Harding Starts
New Farley for
HardCoalP eace
Senator Pepper His Envoy in
Conference With Lewis,
Who is Believed Willing
to Reopei, Negotiations
Sees Operators Monday
Settlement by Compromise
Forecast; Compers Calls
on Mine Workers Chief
so.e,,,, pispatoh 10 The Tribune

speotaI Dispatch to The Tribune
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 26. Early
resumption of peace negotiations in
the anthracite controversy, with every
prospect of an agreement that will
| send 10000 hard coal miners back to
work, was foreshadowed here to-day.
At the behest of President Harding,
| who believes that "a settlement can be
| reached within a week, Senator George
| Wharton Pepper came here from
| Maine in the role of mediator and
| went into conference with leaders of
the United Mine Workers Union. Later
| he expressed the opinion that there
were no insurmountable difficulties in
the path of peace in the industry.
Senator Pepper cut short political
! tour he was making in Maine and
came here after telephone conversa-
| to bring about resumption of the
negotiations. After discussing the
situation with John L. Lewis, presi-
dent of the miners union, he said he
believed that the peace parleys would
be resumed soon.
Compromise Foreseen
Settlement will come "on the basis
of accommodation between both sides,
Mr.. Pepper said, although the time is
yet uncertain.
The Senator's conference with Mr..
Lewis lasted almost three hours.
Others present included William A.
Glasgow jr., counsel for the United
Mine Workers, in whose Office the meet
ing took place, and Philip Murray, vice
president of the mine workers.
Senator Pepper set at rest rumors
| that Samuel Gompers, president of the
A,-ta JNNIa % Ioh1 ,no
also arrived to-day, had come to take
an active part in settling the contro-
versy.
"This meeting I have had with Mr..
Lewis has been purely on my own in
| itiative," Senator Pepper said. eve
went over the entire history of the
anthracite industry and the various
| settlements that have been effected
| from time to time. | was interested in
obtaining the miners viewpoint, and
| particularly in the present situation
With this knowledge / will be more
able to understand affairs when l con-
suit with the operators.
~ have been in Maine three days
and, having just returned to town, do
not know when / will meet Mr.. War
riner, the head Of the operators COM
mittee, who, / understand, is in Mont
rose for the week end 1t is probable
that will see him on Monday, as | am
to go to Allentown and Perkasie to-
| morrow to open the Republican cam
paign;;"
81 have nothing to say in amplifca-
tion of the Senator's remarks" said Mr.
! Lewis, as he emerged from the confer
| ence room.
| Mr.. Gompers came here to meet Mrs
Gompers and cousin from England. A
| short time later Mr., Lewis came down
stairs from his hotel room. "Hello
/ john" said Gompers. Hello, chief, y
was the Lewis greeting.
The two walked arm in arm to cor
ner and talked briefly. Then Mr.. Com
pers announced to group of newspa-
permen that he stood with Mr.. Lewis
in the controversy.
the coal situation" Mr.. Gompers con-
| tinued. "It is entirely in the hands of
Mr.. Lewis and his associates, the same
as the railroad strike is being con-
Quoted by Mr.. Jewell. I am only here
| to help, if l can help. My position as
| head of the American Federation of
| Labor is to review the strike situation
| and the course of action that has been
taken.
Wage Defation Over, He Says
"There is one thing, the drive forsde-
| fation of wages is now over That day
has passed. There has been no decrease
in the high cost of living to the work
ing man. We only hear of the reduc-
| tion of the high cost of living from
statistics handed out by the National
Industrial Board.
az hope the coal strike will be set
| tied soon and amicably."
That well-prepared movement, with
| the hand of the government behind
it, is slowly developing to bring about
another meeting of operators and min
ers is evident from the concentration
of pressure being brought to bear on
both sides from government sources.
Governor sproul has been in fre-
quent conference with Mr. Glasgow.
| the city, but remains here with his in
ternational vice-president; while the
presence of Mr.. Gompers is treated
with significance from the anthracite
standpoint
The only ones who show little in
terest in the proceedings are the oper-
ators, most of whom have gone home.
The attitude of the operators com
mittee, as expressed by one of their
| number, is resentment at the blunt
manner in which they declare their
proposals were treated by the mine
workers representatives.
Governor Sproul met Mr.. Glasgow
! to-day, but declined to comment on
the interview. Asked if there was anv
likelihood of the state troops being
withdrawn from the coal regions the
Governor said this would not happen
until the miners returned to work and
industrial quiet was assured.