Evening star., 1923-08-13
j. S. CALLS MINERS
AND OPERATORS To
| CONFERENCE HERE
Federal Officials Act to Pre-
vent Anthracite Strike
on September |.
COOLIDGE HEARS REPORT
OF COAL COMMISSION
Agreement to Be Sought to Keep
Mines Running Until Final
Settlement Made.

The federal government moved to-
day to avert an anthracite strike by
inviting representatives of both the
operators and miners to confer with
the Coal Commission here immedia-
tely. A telegram conveying the in
vitation to both sides went forward
shortly after noon. 1t was signed by
Coal Commission officials after they
had conferred with President Cool
idge.
For the present, at least, it was in
dicated that the President desired to
leave the situation entirely in the
hands Of the Commission. Whether
he would take any more direct step
later to insure an agreement has not
been revealed.
Coolidge Watches Developments.
There Is no doubt, however. that Mr..
Coolidge is fully advised regarding
the break between the operators and
miners. which is threatening a sus-
pension of work in the anthracite
mines on September /. and will re-
main in closest touch with all devel-
opments. Recently he conferred with
John Hays Hammond, chairman OF
the commission. and today he had a
long talk with George Otis Smith, an
other of it's members.
The text of the conference invita-
tion was withheld, but IT Is under
stood that the message to operators
and miners were identical in terms
One went to John L. Lewis, president
Of the United Mine Workers. at Allan
tic City, and the other to S. d. War
ringer. chairman of the general pol
icy committee of the anthracite mine
operators.
Agreement Ends September I.
The men addressed are the official
,, heads of the groups which embarked
upon negotiations at Atlantic City
last month with the purpose OF fix
| ing terms. wage scales and conditions
! to govern the continuance of anthra-
cite operations after September /.
when existing wage contracts expire.
The negotiations were suspended
upon the unions iDsistence for in
stallation Of the ''check-o system.
| by which union dues would be col
lected from all miners by their en-
ployers and paid directly to the union
| The coal commission had refrained
from taking any part in the discus
sion between the miners and their
employers until lOudy.
1t Is known that the government
now will seek to bring about COM
promise by which operations in the
anthracite field will continue, even
| though final agreement upon the mat
ter under dispute cannot be I'M
mediately attained.
At the same time 1t has been dis
closed that study OF eXisting coal
stocks has led some officials 10
believe sufficient quantities Of an
thracite are above ground to protect
the public from danger even in case
of a suspension Of production.
There is also before the Coal Com
mission a proposition from bitumi-
nous mine operators made through the
! National Coal Association. to provide.
under government control, large
quantities of bituminous coal as
| substitute for anthracite in case the
| anthracite supply should be cut off.
| The administrations request, through
| the United States Coal Commission,
to the operators and miners OF the
anthracite industry to meet with the
day that such conference may re-
suit in an adjustment of differences
and in preventing a strike, September
/, in the anthracite mines.
In the anthracite strike of 1907.
President Roosevelt finally prevailed
| upon the operators and the miners to
agree to an arbitration of their diff
| ferences by. the then anthracite coal
SLIIhe cOHIjilsSlpii, dppO4Hlcu' W AIi4L-
Coolidge May Act.
The suggestion was made today
F.! that If the miners and operators
continue to be unable to reach an
| agreement, following their confer
! ence with the Coal Commission here.
| President Coolidge may Seek to have
| both parties agree to arbitration
| and bring about a settlement as in
| 1902. 1t may be that the Coal Com
| mission might be selected as the
| arbftraI body. On the other hana.
an entirely new body might be d.
manded.
! President Roosevelt, 1t is known.
had fully determined that IL there was
no agreement to arbitrate. he would
| take strenuous steps to bring about
| resumption OF work In the hard coal
| mines. He had made complete plans
| for this end. as he confided TO certain
! of his intimates. These plans We're
/ never made public. He planned, how
! ever, to give complete protection TO
workers in the anthracite mines, US
| ing the military for that purpose.
! He had gone SO far as to select Gen.
! Connor to handle the situation, it wils
! said today.
Mines Could BE Worked.
| Given complete protection, it w'as
! the belief that the anthracite mines
| would be worked-not to their full
capacity, perhaps, Dut TO a very con-
| siderable extent. There had been
much violence during the anthracite
| strike in 1902.
President Coolidge. it was pointed
| out today, under the powers vested in
| him, could take such steps to protect
| men working in the mines as were
planned by President Roosevelt, II no
! other way of settling the present con-
| troversy Is worked out.
No law giving the President author
ity to take over and operate the coal
mines is on the statute books. search
revealed today. Recommendations
that he be given that authority TO
meet emergencies like that now
threatening have been made to the
President by the coal commission
But Congress would have to enact the
law. In neither the law providing
for the appointment of the coal COM
mission nor the federal fuel director
Is there any authority found for such
action, il was said today.
But under the plan proposed by
| President Roosevelt. had his arbitra-
tion plan not been put into effect. the
President today could act, and act
| effectively.
One subject Of controversy may
| make 1t difficult to obtain an agree
ment for arbitration today-the
| check off system. 1t is this that