New Britain herald., 1925-08-24
LEWIS TO ATTEND COAL CONFERENCE Will Meet With Mine Workers
 and Citizens WANTS PUBLIC INVITED
Also Asks That Press Be Prisiliegcd To Attcnd-As Date for Strike Years Little Hope for Settlement Is Seen

Years Little Hope for Settlement
 Is Seen.
 Philadelphia, Aug. 24. R}-John l.. Lewis, international president of the United Mine Workers, today accept to all invitation to a conferenct be- tween anthracite mine workers and citizens of the hard Coal regions at HaZleton. Pa. at noon tomorrow. IhC invitation was extended by John II. | hl, chairman of citizens commit tee of Wilkcsbarre. Mir. Lewis insis- ted that the mcetng be conducted Us an open forum with press and public privileged to attend.
 To Express Views
 Mir. Uhl asked for the meeting in order to permit his committee to express it's views. He emphasized that the body was "ontircly neutral in it's attitude" and had only one purpose in mind This he said was; "1'o serve all residents of the anthra. cite producing counties and all users of anthracite hy bringing together the contenIing parties in the belief that further conferences between Ithem will result in the avoidance ol suspension and in q just settle ment,"
 MT. Lewis said the full anthracite scale committee Of .hree mining dis tricts would be ready to meet the | l,hl committee at fIa2eton Lewis Reply Insisting that the conference he open to tho public. Mr. Lewis said:
 q feel that the subject is of such importance that it warrants formal meeting under circumstances where saside from the att"ndance of MT IUhl's committee and representatives of the United Mine Workers of Ame' triCa, representatives of the puhllc press and such of the general pubic as may wish will he permitted tc Iattcnd.'
 Mir. Lewis asked MT, Chl whether his committee WIS opposed to any wage increase in renewal Of the agreement expiring in the coal fields August 2t. Mr. I.hl replied thi' he st be answered by the committed is whole. He indicated no persona opposition.
 Quiet Over Sunday
 Miners and operators gave ton tucs and pens a rest over thh week end. which passed without pubic devclopmcnts in the deadlock exist ing in anthracite negotiations. Pub lie apprehension expressed itself II words only in Wilkcs-Barre. Wher' the Anthracite Business Mems asso' citation passed another resolution decrying tho possibility of a sus' pension in mine operation and dele gated certain of it's members to con fer with leaders of the opposing forces.
 situation The same
 To all outward appearances. th' situation now, with but six days re mpining before the present ahthra cite working agreement expires ol ! August %1, was thC same as or 1 August 1, when n"cotiations for renewal were split by disagreement The opcrtors, in public statements have ascrihcd thc deadlock to lh' miners insistcnco that wage Tn crcascs and thc chcck-off be frs conceded. while tho miners have in sisted that tho failure of the op"r ators to scnd their Acknowledged leaders" in 10 the barley was re sponsiblc.
 Many Conferences
 Meanwhile, both sides are tostinf to the wind of public opinion an' are holding frequent but secret con fcrcnccs. Tho presence here O Jams A. German, president of th' anthracite board of COnciliation' Il interpreted as an indication tha oncrators and miners are negoliat ing on the subject or mine matntHn 1 aNrn dNrlng Il' 'Nl'I'' l'N' ''' out to prevent floolins and cav'->hS No substantiation of this assump ton, however, came from elthe' ] headquarters.
 The Wilkcs-Barro business mel said, in part:
 "Thc general public Is entitled t' an uninterrupted supply of anthra cite for humanitarian reasons II To no other reasons.
 Every man, woman and chil' living in the anthracite producing area dcpcnds largely upon contin nous operations of the mines 10 material comforts and a decent liV ing. The prosperity of the nm workers and mine operators is unaI tcrably intcrwoven with the happi ness and future of our communitio
 We feel confident that the repre- sontatiyes of both mine workers an' operators have no desire to approv any action or agreement which vii
 Continued on Page Fourteen)