Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-08-05
Break Over Wages
Continued from Page One)

a reply to the letter he received yes
terday from Samuel d. Warmer,
chairman of the anthracite opera
tors conference. Mr.. Lewis said in
part:
The mine workers representatives
deeply regret that the anthracite op-
orators have seen fit to publicly an
nounce their refusal to negotiate
upon a basis of fact. Public state
ments of Mr.. w. w. Inglis and your
self obviously preclude any agree
ment. The public advertisements of
the anthracite operators given out
while the negotiations were in prog
ress demonstrate that the operators
do not propose to make any con.
structive contribution toward the
success of the conference. With
these facts in mind the mine workers
representatives are of the judgement
that 1t is utterly futile to continue
further in these wage scale negoti-
ations."
The operators went into a secret
caucus for so minutes and upon
their return they asked Mr.. Lewis.
Are we to understand from your
letter that in view of our opposition
~ du luCISdSc VI wages anQ the
checkoff, you refuse to continue ne
gotiations?"
Mr.. Lewis answered yes, according
to the account given by Mr.. Ing1is,
chairman of the operators commit
tee.
IN view Of the differences be-
tween U.S." came second question,
do you fatty reject the proposal
that all matters in dispute be SUBJ
mitted to impartial arbitration un-
der conditions ensuring adjudication
fair to all parties concerned, work
to continue at present wage rates
pending the result Of such arbitra-
tion?"
Lewis replied, according to Ing
lis, quoting, from his letter to Warri-
ner to the effect that arbitration
would not be accepted. 4
Mr.. Inglis later charged Mr.. Lew
IS with deliberately wrecking the
wage conference.
"Mr. Lewis came into this meeting
today" said Inglis, with a fixed In
tention of breaking off negotiations.
His letter to Mr.. Warriner was the
basis prepared in advance"
Mr.. Lewis said he stated his po-
sition on this point in his letter to
warmer.
Asked at the end Of the day what
the next step would be, Lewis mere
ly smiled.
Members Of the operators scale
sub committee were kept waiting
forty minutes before Mr. Lewis ap-
peared at $40 p. M, with his fellow
members of the miners delegation
Philip Murray, international vice
president; Thomas Kennedy, inter-
national secretary treasurer; Rinaldo
Cappellini, Andrew Mattey and Chris
j. Golden, presidents of districts /, Z
and 8, respectively. Mr.. Lewis read
into the record, first his letter Of last
Friday to Mr.. Warriner, and Mr..
WARMERS reply as made public last
night, and finally his own rebuttal to
Mr.. Warriner as contained In his let
ter of today.
At the emphatic tone Of this Sec
ond Lewis letter the operators at
once went into private session.
Discussion brought out. as min
ers' representative described 1t, that
both sides were hopelessly divided.
Miners said that If the operators
were adversely disposed to major |
demands there would be no hope
Of getting anywhere in further dis
cussion of remaining minor ones.
Adjournment without date was vot-
ed with virtually no debate.
The operators accordingly have
not furnished whatever formal reply |
they had in mind to the miners de- |
mands as a whole. 1t is understood |
they will do this soon. |