The Washington herald., 1922-08-02
DAVIS LAUDS PLEA
Welcomes Lewis Efforts
To Obtain Coal Con-
ference.
APPOINTS STATE
FUEL AGENCIES
Federal Distributor Or
ganizes Move to Fight
Shortage.

While appointment of State fuel
agencies to cooperate with the
Federal government in relieving the
coal shortage was announced yes
ter6ay, dispatches from pittsburgh
and Indianapolis revealed that coal
operators were flatly rejecting the
invitation to a joint conference In
Cleveland issued by John L. Lewis.
president Of the United Mine Work
erS of America.
President Lewis issued his invi-
tation Yesterday to operators OF
the central competitive field.
Soon after receipt of Lewis mes
sage. the Pittsburgh Coal Associa :
tion telegraphed a refusal to attend.
In Indianapolis, Mortimer L. Gould.
president of the Indiana Bituminous
Coal Operators Association said
that no portion of the Indiana REQ
would attend the conference. ana
that the operators position was un-
changed. The Indiana operators, ne
declared, will meet only with the
miners of Indiana. A. NJ Ogie,
president of the National Coal AS
sociation. also said the conference
would avail nothing.
Text of Message.
The text of the refusal of the
Pittsburgh Coal Association fol-
lows: w.
your message received. We
will not attend a four-State joint
conference for the reasons already
given YOU. As you have been re-
peatedly Informed. the operators OF
this district are ready and willinS
70 meet the mine workers organi-
zation of this district to neGotiate
a wage for this district, all miners
70 return to work at once ana
abide by the wage to be agreed
upon
"In case of failure to agree, we
offer to .arbitrate in accordance
with the proposal made by US 10
President Harding on July IL last
that the mine workers return 10
work Immediately on the wage
scale in effect in November, 1917.
without the check-off, the board or
arbitration to be appointed by the
President from residents of the
Pittsburgh district. no arbitrator to
be a miner or operator OF in any
way connected with the bituminous
coal industry.
The check-off practice to be
eliminated and the competitive re-
turns in and about our district with
competing non-union and union dis
tricts and operations to be the de-
termining factor in arriving at
wage scale. II you are sincere in
your desire to terminate the strike
in order that the public may get
coal our proposal is obviously fair
to the miner. Ihe operators, and
the public. We cannot, however,
be expected to agree indefinitely to
meet representatives of the union.
PITTSBURGH COAL PRODUCERS
ASSOCIATION"
Lewis Plea for Conference.
President Lewis issued a state
ment after his call for a confer
ence. 1t said:
IN issuing an Invitation to the
coal operators of the central COM
petitive field to assemble in joint
conference in Cleveland on August
Z, / am actuated by the highest con-
siderations of public welfare and the
impelling necessity for an early ad-
Indication of the issues involved In
the bituminous and anthracite coal
fields.
This strike. unparalleled in its
magnitude. is nor IN its eighteenth
week, and constitutes an Industrial
convulsion which menaces the fnan-
cial and social fabric of our nation.
Aside from the tremendous personal
sacrifices so bravely endured by the
mine workers, the strike is exactlng
penalties from every citizen of our
land. and is ciogging the channels of
commerce and disturbing the realms
of finance and credit throughout the
civilized world. It's effect will con-
tinue to be felt long after its ter
mination. and the burden will fan
heaviest upon those least able to
bear il.
In consideration of these facts.