New Britain herald., 1923-08-17
U. 5. Coal Commission
Calls Both to Task, and
Joint Meeting is Held
Today
Announced That Confer
ence Will Be Held Monday
at Atlantic City-Agree-
ment May Be Reached
By. The Associated Presr.

By The Associated Press.
New York, Aug. 17,--Miners and
anthracite operators meeting today in
joint conference at the behest of the
| u. S. coal commission to avert a.
suspension of operations September 1,
reached an agreement to renew wage
contract negotiations at Atlantic City
next Monday.
Formal announcement that the
agreement had been reached to con-
tinue the parley on wages that had
become deadlocked was withheld un-
til after the commission could be Of
ficially notified
New York, Aug 17.-At the be-
hest of the U. s. Coal Commission
committees representing miners and
anthracite operators today went into
a joint session in final effort to pre-
vent a strike in the hard coal fields
September l.
The Joint conference met after the
commission had called before it John
| L.. Lewis, president of the United Mine
| Workers of America, and S. d. War
riner, chairman of the general policy
committee of the anthracite operators
and gave them letter demanding
complete answer from both parties as
to what each would do to prevent a
suspension of operations. The Joint
conference is scheduled to report to
the committee by 8 p. m.
Letter Sent Out
The coal commission in letter ad-
lressed to Lewis aud Warmer de-
,Jo+a
parties of the labor controversy in the
anthracite region as to what each
7ould do to prevent the public dan
ser of suspension of mining, Sep
tember /.
The committees appointed respee-
lively by the anthracite operators and
he anthracite mine workers to nego-
late new contracts replace the exist
ng one which expires on August 81
has been in complete deadlock since
Iuly 27." the letter said, 'and from
hat date up to August IA not even
me meeting was held in an effort to
:egotate a new agreement. More
jhan two days have now been spent
N fruitless effort to find basis up
IN which to bring about resumption
of negotiations and in the exchange
Of notes between the parties thereto
through the medium of the commits
sion it has been found impossible to
have the language of these notes con.
strued to mean the same thing by
both of the parties.
Only IA Days Left
There now remains only IA days
before the present contract expires
The public mind with a keen realiza-
tion of the suffering of last winter be-
cause of an inadequate supply of an
is beginning to be seriously
over the question of whether
there is to be another suspension of
anthracite mining on September l of
this year. 1t is imperative that this
uncertainty be cleared at once.
Report Wanted
we, therefore urge that the repre-
'entatives of the two sides Immediate
y enter into a conference to consider
and report to US:
"1-Whether you can reach an
agreement over the matters now in
nspute and negotiate the new man
lgement by September /.
" HelHer IN tne event of your
nablffty by September / to reach an
lgreement upon the matters in con-
roFersy you can agree upon a plan
nat VIII assure continuance of min
ng after September l and until Won
lave reached an agreement.
5-Whether in the event that Won
lnd yourselves unable to reach a com
'lete agreement upon the matters in
ohtroVersy you can agree upon some
nan for an orderly and peacebles set
Iement of the matters in controversies
pom which an agreement cannot ba
eached by contract negotiations and
nus prevent suspension of mining
o result Oh the present controversy.
Inc commission asks that Won ra
ITO Joint session Immediately and re-
" IN writing to the inquiry by q
clock tonight
notn Mr. Warriner and Mr.. Lewis
greed to the join meeting which tbe
commission asks and sent for their as
'cfates to participate.
Willing TO Arbitrate
operators were now willing tet-
II to the commission stated 'to arhi-
ate all issues. not even exceptinr
le crossed shop with the check off,
ne of the letters said. Further the
perators have repeatedly sought a
INT plan that no suspension take
lace September I upon the under
anding that If no wage contract is.
Secuted by that date the contract
hen executed SHAH be retroactive to
lat date
rT-R.
The miners union was declared 10
unwilling to Join in such an agree
ent TO avert the danger of the stop
ng of production
Eliminate 12-Hr Day,
Another letter re-stated the opera
RS position and declared that the
'erators were now willing to elm
ate the i2-hour day from the m