Evening star., 1923-08-29
Conference Called to Hear
and Answer Compromise
Suggestions to Prevent
WaIkout After August 81.
TERMS ARE WITHHELD
UNTIL AFTER MEETING
30-Day Truce, 8-Hour Day, Aid to
Union in Collecting Dues, and
New Wage Discussions Believed
to Be Basis-Miners Firm for
Pay Increase on September /.

BY the Associated Press.
HARRISBURG, Pa, August 20
Gov. Pinchot will bring his inter-
vention in the anthracite situation to a
climax tonight. He called on repre-
sentatives of the mine operators and
officials of the miners union today to
meet him at O'Clock tonight, Jointly, to
hear and answer a compromise proposal
which he has prepared in the endeavor
to prevent the suspension of operations
September l.
The governors peace proposal, terms
OF which We're kept officially secret. was
practically in readiness at noon today.
Among the advisers whose final word
upon 1t was given during the morning
was the Rev. FIR. J. ]. Curran, a Wilkes
Barre Catholic priest, whose connection
with settlement attempts in anthracite
controversies dates back to the time of
Roosevelt.
3O-Day Truce Asked.
The only intimations as to what the
governor had in mind in the settle
ment attempt gave the impression he
would ask from both sides a thirty
Gay truce; from the operators an abun-
donment Of all but eight-hour day
employment, and the extension to
union agents OF the privilege of col
lecting union dues in company Offices
on paydays, which is now done in
some parts of the anthracite region
and a resumption of direct wage
negotiations between the leaders on
both sides
The employers tender of arbitra-
tion for all disputed points. to which
the union has taken a position of un
yielding opposition. was said to have
been set aside for the moment by the
governor. What he planned to do in
case of rejection of his terms by
one or both groups the governor
would not say. Miners union repre-
sentatives gave the impression that
they would not take any compromise
that did not carry with it Septem
Der 1 wage increase. That the gov
ernor's terms would require this cf
operators seemed doubtful.
John L. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers, who has left
the preliminary dealings with Gov.
Pinchot in the hands of his asso-
Ciates, arrived early today in Har-
risburg to take part personally in
the final action All of the thirty
eight members of the anthracite
workers scale committee were also
on hand For the operators, the same
policy committee which has conduct
ed all dealings with the union and
with federal and state government
agencies. which consists of Samuel
D. Warriner, y. Il. JeSsup, w. w. In
glis and w j. Richards. was on hand
and accepted the governors invitation
in behalf of the employers.
Discuss Maintenance Workers.
Meantime the operators and miners
themselves had direct negotiations
in progress TO fix the conditions under
which some union members may re-
main at work in the fields, in the
event of Il strike, to. keep pumps
working and entry ways from cav
ing in.
Union proposals to furnish such
maintenance men were tied up with
requirement that all of them be
awarded the eight-ho day during the
time of the suspension. Operators
were holding out for an agreement
tical with those they now have. but
promise of pay adjustment retroactive
to September 1. should any better con-
ditions be won at the end of sus-
pension.
the idea that the governor would try
to force the operators to grant some
sort of a wage increase, perhaps as
much as 10 per cent. but were never
theless inclined to regard the sugges-
ty1s. RI m n 90 m n 10