Evening star., 1925-11-10
Strike Just Begun, Lewis,
Head of Union. Ayers.
Position Solid.
WASHINGTON MUST USE
SUBSTITUTES. is EDlCT
Hard Coal Settlement Remote
Walkout Leader at Call
of President.
l:N H.NK0LD *. PHILIPS.

PHILADFLPlIIA. November 10
This strike has just begun, so far as
the miners are concerned. No arbitra.
ton. no surrender of ideals, peace
only when the operators show sin.
,ere, disposition 10 sign an honest con-
tract. That is our position"
such is the message John J.. Lewis
international president of the United
Mine Workers Of America, sent 70 the
people Of Washington today in answer
to their plea for hard coal. And from
the other camp, where the strategists
of the operators army hold forth
came the echo:
Tell the people Of Washington 10
learn TO use substitutes. There will
be no hard coal this Winter
Neither Willing to Move.
So stands the prospect of an armi
Stice here in Philadelphia, where both
sides in this bitter industrial war have
Headquarters. Separated now only by
- matter of two issues, neither of the
belligerents seems willing TO take the
first step toward the peace table that
could end hostilities throughout the
anthracite fields before New Year.
Despite the fact that Mr.. Lewis
asserts a 10 per cent wage increase
must be the prelude to any peace lie
gotiatious, there is abundance OF eNl'
,ience to be found among the miners
20 show that very few Of them would
be disappointed If the salary boost
we're dropped and hostilities ended
As for the cheCk-off system. only q
few Of the miners seem to know
what it means.
These are the only serious points
Of disagreement But the miners
board of strategy. encamped in the
Bellevue -Stratford Hotel. firmly de
clares it will not submit these key
proposals for arbitration, and the op
orators. on their part, swear that
Americas anthracite riches will evolve
back to Towering forests before they
talk peace on any other basis.
Galleries Will Stay Down.
You people may talk about the
miners being only half-hearted about
this strike, or that they would will
ingly relinquish the pay increase tc
get back TO work: that the clergy IL
the anthracite fields is opposed to the
strike or that the check-off system Is
unpopular" declared Mr. Lewis in ar
interview. But there's only one
thing that counts-the collieries are
down, They're down tight anC
they're going to stay down.
I'VE did not so into this fight blind
ly. So far as we are concerned, il
has just begun. 1t may end in the
Spring and it may go on until next
Fall. We know the operators are
strong: VIC know they could take
punishment for a long time be
fore giving in. But We knew We
could, too. our committees in the
field are caring for NEEDY miners now
When their money gives out the gen
cral committee will get busy. And
back Of that body stands the inter
national union. ready to back this
fight to the limit.
You can bank on this-those col
lieries are going to stay closed unit
the operators show that they are
sincere in their Willingness to sign a
Just contract with the miners. The
minute we get that sign we will &C
to the peace conference. How long
it will be l would not even try to
guess, but just remember this, We
are prepared for the siege. There
will be no arbitration; we had enough
Of that in 1902