The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-12
RATION
SUGAR-COATED
BY new NAME
L e wis Approves of
"BoQrds of AwGrd"
BY PAT TooHEY
Especial TO The Daily Workerl

Samuel Warriner, head of the an
thraeite operators by Rev. J. J.. Cur
ran, after a long conference with
John L. Lewis in New York City, be-
trays on the part of Lewis a definite
tendency and desire to resort to arbi-
tration as means Of settling the
strike.
Regardless of the oft-repeated
statement of Lewis and the other
officials that they would not accept
arbitration, the contents of the wire
Of Rev. Curran to the operators, sent
with an understanding between the
priest and Lewis, means definitely
Lewis will now accept arbitration.
Masked Arbitration.
Hitherto all plans" brot forward as
a basis for the settlement of the
strike were objected to by Lewis,
with the sole exception of the pin
chot plan" which was arbitration,
wholly, masked under the phrase Of
"a board Of award" The contention
of Lewis was that all these plans"
contained an arbitration clause
which was not acceptable to the min
ers. The proposals contained in the
wire of Rev. Curran to Warmer,
which is taken to be the present po-
sition Of Lewis and the remaining
members of the miners negotiating
committee are as follows:
That the selection of the members
of the proposed board of arbitration
be left to she miners and operators
to mutually, agree upon. The OPP
orators position was that either Coo
lidge or Taft should select the board.
The proposal is also made in the
wire that the miners be guaranteed
this board will not attempt to reduce
wages during the lifetime of the
agreement, excepting in case of a
general depression or industrial
panic" The proposal is made that
the check-off shall be arbitrated,
that no attempt shall be made to de-
prive the men of the right to call a
strike if they deem it necessary. dur
ing the negotiations thru arbitration
or otherwise, at the expiration Of any
strike. Substantially this is what
Curran proposes to the operators.
Must Suear-coat It.
Lewis agrees with practically all
of the points covered in the priests
proposals. 1t would be suicidal for
him to take arbitration as a raw
chunk, for the membership would not
stand for it. He must get to arbitra-
ton thru a back-door method, and
an ideal opportunity is presented at
the present time.
The position of the operators all
along has been for long term agree
ment ten years preferably, for arbi-
tration and non-recognition of the
check-off demand, with the clause in
the agreement, when finally made
that the miners would not be allowed
to strike at its expiration The pro-
posals of Curran are but an insignifi-
cant modification of these demands of
the operators and will be accepted by
Lewis.
Lewis Makes No Opposition.
There is a possibility that the
plans" submitted by Alvin Markle,
impartial chairman" of the confer
ence, who by the way is connected
with gigantic coal corporations in the
anthracite field will be pressed by the
operators, while Lewis will maintain
that the "Pinchot PLAN" not very diff
ferent from the other "plans," be used
as basis Of settlement. This strike
will be arbitrated ultimately, in one
manner or another. Lewis does not
oppose arbitration so vehemently as
some believe.
Indications are that at the termina-
ton of this strike there will be a
permanent board" of some character
to handle the industry in the future
Lewis does not oppose these boards
as much as he shouts about them.
Lewis does not believe in arbitration
boards" but does believe in boards of
awards" and commissions" vested
with certain power to settle strikes
and tamper with the wage scale.
DiHeTence only IN words.
Lewis opposed the Markle plan, the
operators plan, the priests plan, the
legislators plan, the municipal plan,
as he stated they contained "arbitra-
ton clauses. He accepted Pinchot's
plan and Curran's, as they specified
for "a board OF award"
In the event any agreement is
reached between the miners and OBJ
orators negotiating committee, IL
must go before the miners for ratif.
cation Of the tri-district miners, or by
referendum. II It is at a ratification
convention the agreement will be pre-
sented for fiaal acceptance, formu-
lated on the basis OF the present pro-
posals in the negotiations and Lewis
will have quite job explaining why
the demands as formulated at the tri-
district convention were repudiated.
Tho nr0QrQcafvo mil. arag doto~.stn.