Evening star., 1923-07-28
Close Observers of Wage
ParIey, Broken Off Yester-
day, See Walkout.
BITTER DEBATE MARKS
SESSION BEFORE BREAK
Miners and Operators Charge Each
Other With Effort to Win
Over Public.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ATLANTIC CITY, y. j., July Is
Anthracite miners and operators. hav-
ing adjourned for the present their
wage conferences, when they failed
yesterday to reach an understanding
on the check-off, are now waiting for
something to turn up to permit them to
resume the negotiations. The present
wage contract under which the miners
are working expires in five weeks.
The interruption of the negotia-
tions. which came rather Unexpectedly
to the public. was not surprise to
those following the negotiations. No
anthracite conference in the past has
ever reached point where substan-
tial progress was made toward an
agreement five weeks in advance of
the expiration of a contract. Instead
of sitting day in and day out as here
tofore, discussing the demands, the
two sides have decided to suspend
discussion until either side is in
clined to resume the meetings This
was indicated by the action of the
operators in asking that the secre-
tary be authorized to reconvene the
meeting when necessary.
See Strike September i.
Close observers of the situation be-
lieve that there will be suspension
Of mining on September l. unless the
government presses both sides to
agree. The mines have been working
full time since they resumed opera
tions. after last years long suspen-
sion and the transportation of coal
- g. 4 oh
normal since last spring in anticipa-
tion of a shutdown this fall.
The discussion of the demands has
not gone very far. At the outset the
operators agreed to the demand of
the miners to eliminate as far as
practicable the twelve-hour day and
that decisions of the umpire In cases
to him should be decided In thirty
days.
The wage question, discussed in
only general way at the opening
meeting has not been touched since.
The break. If it can be called a
check off, which has been under dis
cussion at every wage conference In
the anthracite fields since 1902.
Debate Bitter.
After a bitter contest of words, in
which each side charged the other
with responsibility for the state of
affairs and declared its opponent was
making an unfair bid for public sup
port of an unjust cause. The joint
committee of eight adjourned sine
die. AT the last moment resolution
was passed authorizing the secretary
to reconvene the committee IL either
side indicated it had anything worth
while to concede.
There was no indication, however.
spots in their own armor or that of
their opponents. which would be apt to
justify a resumption of negotiations.
Since the union already had publicly de-
clared it would not submit to arbitra-
tion, the only possible peace agency
seen in the way of the threatened strike
on September /, was government inter-
Vention.
The proceedings as described In the
official communique of James German,
secretary, were:
Mr. Lewis, president Of the Miners
International, made the statement that
there was no change in the attitude Of
the miners upon the demand for full
and complete recognition of the union.
S. d. Warriner, spokesman for the op-
orators, read into the record state
ment outlining the position of the op-
orators. Mr.. Lewis made statement
outlining the position of the miners.
THE committee adjourned subject to
(Confipn.l np pau.. 1 rnlnrpr