San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
SIDE IN
STRIKE MAKES
SYMPATHY BID
Replies Of Miners and OPP
orators Are Meant for
the Public.
HAS A LAST RESORT
Pinchot Clothed With Au-
thority to Seize and \
Operate Mines.
BY ROBERT 7. SMALL.

BY ROBERT 7. SMALL.
! Copyright, by The San Antonio Light
Harrisburg, Pa, Sept. lit was
virtually admitted here today by those
in closest touch with the situation that
the replies made by anthracite miners
and operators to the proposals OF
Governor Pinchot were addressed to
the American, public, rather than to
the governor.
Both miners and operators want the
public sympathy. The miners feel
they are downtrodden. They lose 50O
men a year by death in the mines,
getting out coal for the public. They
say their demands are reasonable, and
could be met by the operators.
The operators say they are the only
public safeguard. They declare the
miners are not entitled to any more
money and that if any more money
is given them it must be passed along
to an already oyerburdened public. To-
day the operators were even more con-
vinced than on Thursday that under
the PinchOt proposals the increase in
the price of anthracite to the consum-
er would run from 81 to $1.50 ton.
The operators also are insisting that
there should be at least fOur-year
contract so that the public would not
be uncertain and harrassed each year
by new negotiations in the anthracite
field.
Therefore, as the negotiations pass
from an attempt to prevent a strike
into an effort to settle strike the
dear old public is being defended on
three sides. Governor Pinchot is rep
resenting the public in the miner-op-
orator controversy. The miner is
vowing that the miners good is the
public good. The operator is acclaim
ing that he and he alone carries the
burden of protecting the public. There
is no question but that the operators
are aroused to the fact that lin dealing
with any increase in the cost of min.
ing coal at this time they will get the
entire blame for increases" to the con-
sumner.
Settlement a Slow Process.
Meantime the strike is on and none
knows when it will end. 1t is ad'
mitted by all who are familiar with
suspensions in the anthracite region
that once the men lay down their tools
it is extremely difficult to get them
into the shafts and slopes again.
Scores of the blue shirted men who
walked out Friday afternoon drifted
into Harrisburg today to see what was
going on. Some of them sat in the
marble lobby of the hotel where their
leaders had been stopping during the
negotiations. Others wandered through
the expensive and ornate state capitol
building peering particularly into the
reception room of the governor where
the joint conferences have been held
This room is truly palatial. 1t is rich
in carved walnut, gold stamped mo-
rocco leather furniture, tasselated
chandeliers, mural friezes and all that
goes for sumptuousness and lavishness
of expenditure. The room was decid.
edly contrast to the grimy shafts
left few hours before, but the min.
ers seemed to enjoy the change.
in the executive session OF Friday
afternoon, Governor Pinchot fought
for more than five hours with the
representatives Of miners and opera
tors trying to force some sort of agree
ment. AS q reward to his volunteer
labors first he had the miners anj
operators in joint session and then ht
had the miners and operators in sep
arate session. Once again he hat
them in joint session and still again
in separate session.
Looking for Fight.
But it was all to no avail. The,
would not agree. They appeared e
be looking for points of disagreement
rather than points of agreement. I'm
doubtedly it was an exasperating ex
perience for the governor, but it wal
not unlocked for by those who hav'
followed the negotiations of the miner:
and operators for the last two months
1t was apparent from the beginning
of these struggles that there woul,
have to be a cessation of coal mimi,
before either side could be brough
into an agreement. Governor Pincho
felt that he might avoid the strike
Even as late as Thursday morning Ii,
was confident the miners could be in
duced to recall the orders for n sus
pension. But there is one point OF
which the miners are adamant. The!
will not work under any sort OF truce
Truces are not in their line. The!
work under signed contract or not a
all.
The friends Of Governor Pincho
said today that he was far from ;
beaten man. They said he still ha'
the weapons of ~pitiless publicity" a
his command, and that he would begiI
| Stumping the state at once to induc
the miners and operators to agree 4
an amicable settlement Of their dis
putc.
In grave emergency, it is pointe'
out, the governor could seize the mine
in this state and work them. Tn
PENNSYLVANIA state constitution. con
fers these emergency powers upon tn
chief executive. But it is agreed tn
emergency would have to be very grea
indeed to warrant the governor the us
of these extreme powers. Only if per
sons were dying of cold or of starva
| ton as q result of the lack of fuel TO
warmth aud cooking, il is said. -woul'
the Pennsylvania courts stand for tn
| use of the emergency or public polio,