The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-15
Of COAL
FARLEY SHUT
TOPUBL|C
Miners and Operators Gather
at New York, but Hammond
WithhoIds News.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


Continued from First Page.)
bitration in the last strike" he said
what we want Is q new contrac
with recognition OF the check off
as the first condition.
The operators have persistently
refused to grant the CHECK off" al
though willing to submit the ques
ton to arbitration.
The conference is expected to las
two days. Formal statements of thu
nroceedings will be issued to tn
press at the end of the conference, I
was stated.
Miners Are Ready.
Hammond conferred with Rinaldl
Cappelini, one of the miners dele
cation, to learn whether they woult
be ready to come before the com
mission at o'clock for a conferenc,
that would not include the opera
tors.
The commission had previousl,
announced it had not been decided
whether to hold a joint conference
Of the three delegations, or to hear
the miners and operators separately
Cappeiini said the miners would
be- ready to present their case at :
o'clock, provided John L. Lewis
president Of the United Mine Work
ers had arrived from Atlantic CitS
by that time.
Lewis Expected Early.
Before noon all of the principals
to the conference except Lewis had
arrived at the Hotel Pennsylvania
and were holding informal meetings
OF their respective groups. Lewis
was expected to arrive from Allan.
tic City early in the afternoon.
The coal commission went into a
preliminary conference to discuss
the procedure OF the conference and
to canvass the coal situation gen.
orally.
The commission pointed out that
1t has no authority to force either
miners or operators to take any
IAN investigating and reporting
1t may WELD from the force Of the
opinion of the American public"
I'VE will hear whatever the min.
ers and operators have to say and
make a report to President Coo.
Hdge," it was explained. "Then II
strike comes the American people
can Judge whether or not it ia
John L. Lewis, international
union president, heads the miner
delegation. Samuel D. Warmer,
chairman Of the operators COM
mittee, will be spokesman for his
group. John Hays Hammond,
chairman of the commission, will
preside over the conference.
How They Stand.
The position Of the three factions
as outlined in pre-conference state.
ments showed:
Lewis-"While accepting the gov,
invitation TO confer the
miners In no way have backed down
from their demand that the opera.
tors grant fun recognition Of the
union"
Warriner@"Ths operators, now
AZ always, are ready to arbitrate all
differences"
Hammond-"on Sept. l the coal
bins in many thousand homes will
be absolutely bare. It is the duty
of the coal commission to report
the facts. to place responsibility
where It belongs, recommending u
course of action in the interest OF
those who use household fuel"
The conference was expected to
last two or three days. The main
controversy will revoive, it was
predicted, around the "check-off'
systematic unions method Of col
iecting dues, assessments and pen
alties. This system is in operation
in the soft coal fields but has been
turned down by the anthracite
operators.
Under the "check-off'' system the
paymaster at each coal mine takes
from the monthly wage Of each
worker the amount OF union dues
owed to the miner organization
paying 1t to the treasurer Of the
local mine union. Such a system
the operators hold, is against the
public good" and affords a Club In
the hands of the union over the
miner who does not desire to join
the union"
All other differences between the
worker and the employer appear
to have been settled by the con,
ference held recently at Atlantic
City.
Agreement Ends August 81.
In addition to Lewis, Rinaldo
Cappellini, Thomas Kennedy and
c. J. Golden, district presidents III
unions in the anthracite coal fields
will present the miners SIDE at
the conference today.
The operator representatives, IN
addition to Warmer are: w. j.
Richards, president of the Phila.
delphia and Reading Coal and Iron
Company; w. w. Inglis, president
Of the Glen Alden Coal and Iron
Company: A. B. Jessup, vice presi,
dent of the Jeddo Highland Coal
Company.
The coal commission members
are: DR.. George Otis Smith. former
director of the Geological Survey;
Thomas r. Marshall, DIR. Charles
p. NELL, and Hammond.
The present working agreement
between the miners and the oper.
ators expires at midnight, August
81.
Lewis has announced that unless
a new contract, containing the
check off provision is signed bv
that date the men will strike.
Conference Expected