Norwich bulletin., 1922-07-03
Operators and
 Miners Dead|OCked
Second Day of Washington Conference Ends in Dis agreement Operators Op- pose Central Competitive Field Wage Conference.

Washington, July (By the A. P.).- BltuminouS coal mine operators and of- fcials of the Miners union, called to Washington by President Hacding to de- wise means of ending the coal strike, end- ed the second day of their conference in disagreement which was made certain by Sormal votes. Both sides held firm to their previous conflicting determinations to await government suggestion or com- promise offer
 Adjournment was taken until 10 o'clock tomorrow, with-no other prospect in sight than that Secretaries Hooover and Davis, both of whom have participated in the join meetings. might then have further matters to present in behalf of the pub lie.
 One main conference, in which miners and operators participated, was marked today by the formal casting of ballots, according to a joint statement issued late by Secretaries Hoover and Davis, the op- orators voting down a proposal favoripg the calling of a centcal competitive field wage conference, an6the miners. immedi- ately after, voting down the operators proposal calling for independent wage conferences in each district
 The miners union officials, immediate | ly after the general conference adjourned
 
 operators as promptly met in a hotel room for lengthy discussions These sessions only resulted, according to int!mations or those attending, in reiterations of a determination to hold to the position al- ready taken. One additional operator Joseph Pursglove of Cleveland O.. was | seated as an operators delegate. clearing up a degree of disaffection over the per sonnel of the delegation which existed | among hio employers on the first day of the conference.
 The operators argument against the central competitive field wage negotiation were as strongly advanced today as be fore. This negotiation resulted practically 1 in fixing national wage scales, they main i tained, by Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and i western Pennsylvania, without regard stc l dlnerences of living costs, mining condi. tons and transportation facilities in dis ! tricts whose output had to be sold or competing markets. Further, the increase of non-union coal areas, they said, witt | wage scales moving uo and down fiexibl, to it market conditions. would eventuall1 force them out of business if they con tlnued national wage fixing with tht union.
 John L. Lewis, president of the United l Mine Workers of Amecica, was said tt have countered with the assertion tha for p years the central agreement has set a naional standard. that operators il outlying districts could not and wou,t not settle until they knew what wag, conditions their competitors might ob tain. Further. he asserted, the industria midwest could never be supplied iron the non-union areas. and the competition claimed from them did not exist.
 The two cabinet members present. i was indicated, chiefly asked questions f, clear up points. The hot weather weighed down the delegates but did not preven falrly continuous caucusing on the par of all the delegates miners union official and operators alike inside and outsid ] the meeting.
 I Doubt shrouded every phase of th suggestions that the government intende Ii to submit proposal and little apparen ,l cheerfulness was evinced by the admins tration members after the meeting. Bttl the employee and employe contingen were almost frank in privae assertion that such an intervention would have f be forthcoming if success was to be at
 tained in calling off the strike by thei
 conference.
 The anthracite groups who were ca IIe here for the opening of the conferenc yesterday by President Harding adjourn ca their private sessions yesterday unt Thursday. ---s