Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-20
NEW COAL PARLEY
CALLED BY MAYORS
Miners and Operators Invit-
ed to Meet TomorroW-Ac-
ceptance in Doubt.
BY the Associated Press.

PHILADELPHIA. December 19.-
The anthracite strike, with 15S,000
men and boys idle nearly four months,
enters Christmas week without any
encouraging sign that the long suspen-
sion will end before the new year
Miners and operators have received
an invitation from mayors and bur
gesses of the hard coal fields to meet
in Scranton on Monday and resume ne
gotiations where they were broken off
last August, but the prospect tonight
of any concrete result, if they meet,
was not bright.
John L. Lewis, president of the
miners, responded today TO the invi
tation by notifying Mayor John
Durham of Scranton, chairman of the
chief executives committee, that the
union leaders would resume negotia-
tions only on the basis of considering
Gov. Pinchot's plan for settlement.
This plan was recently accepted by the
miners as basis for settlement" and
rejected by the operators as impracti-
cable.
The operators have not yet made a
formal reply to Mayor Durkan. They
will hold a Sunday morning meeting
consider their answer. Mayor Daniel
l.. Hart of WilkeS-Barre, a member of
the chief executives committee, said
today that Charles F. Huber of the
operators wage negotiating commit
tee, informed him the employers would
not negotiate on the basis of the
Pinchot proposal.
Want Immediate Start.
it was learned that the operators will
maintain their position of being willing
to resume negotiations If production is
started at once; that they will not be
antagonistic to Mondays proposed
meeting if the doors are left open for
the discussion of any plan.
The Pinchot plan of settlement pro-
vides that the men return to work
at the old wage scale, and that a board
of investigation and award determine
whether the operators can increase
wages without advancing prices. If
the board finds this cannot be done
wages are not to be increased. The
governors proposal also provides for
d partial check-off plan.
Another peace proposal. known as
the LuZerne County plan, rejected by
the miners and accepted by the oper-
ators, provides for Immediate resump-
matters not agreed to after a given
time to board of settlement.
Stop Delivery of Coal.
Loading and sale of stored chestnut
size coal, of which a supply still is
available, was discontinued today at
the Cranberry Colliery of the Gran
berry Creek Coal Co., near Hazleton,
because of objections by the local
unions, officials of the company an
nounced. They said they decided on
this course rather than invite any
trouble, which had been threatened,
although the district officers of the
miners union had given permission
for the work, which was being done
by union men.
The company also announced that
If the sale of buckwheat coal at the
colliery, which has been supplying al
most the entire district with fuel since
the strike began, led to misunder-
standing, it also would be stopped.
Union miners patrolled the streets
of Plymouth, near Wilkes-Barre, stop
ping all coal trucks and warning the
drivers not to make any deliveries s
| long as the suspension was In effect.
No trouble was reported. Because of
the watch of the idle mine workers.
! 1t was reported the coal was being
hauled in covered trucks. Committees
were on duty during the entire night
and early today. They prevented the
delivery of several loads.
Nanticoke school officials announced
that all buildings would be opened
Monday as a result of the decision of
the teamsters to haul coal to the
schools and to the Nanticoke State
JJoSnifo1