Evening star., 1946-05-16
By james Y. Newton

PRESIDENT Truman today pro-
posed arbitration of the long
standing soft coal contract dis
pute, declaring that "the whole
life of the Nation has suffered
from the coal strike. and will
suffer increasingly if there is an
other stoppage."
Mr.. Truman said he made the
proposal at brief 15-minute con-
ference this morning with John l..
Lewis and Charles O'Neill, opera
tors representative. The two will
submit the suggestion to their nego-
t1atlng committees and answer the
President at $50 pm. today. Under
the Presidents plan the miners
would remain at work during the
arbitration proceedings.
If either side rejects arbitration,
it was learned that Mr.. Truman will
be advised to seize the mines and
order the seizing Federal agency to
negotiate a contract directly with
Mr.. Lewis, subject to review by the
operators.
Will Name Arbitrator.
The President broke the news of
his proposal at a hurriedly sum-
moned news conference shortly be-
fore noon. He said both Mr.. Lewis
and Mr.. ONeill told him that con-
tract negotiations had completely
broken down and that further nego-
tiations between the parties would
be useless.
Mr.. Truman said that if the dis
putants are unable to agree on an
arbitrator, he would name one.
The Presidents statement follows:
Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. ONeill came
in to see me again at 10 o'clock this
morning. They told me that after
further consultations with their
committees last night, they had come
to the conclusion that the negotia-
tions in the coal mine dispute had
completely broken down and that
further negotiations would be use
less. I therefore proposed arbitra-
ton. I asked them to consider this
proposal carefully and report back
to me with their decision at $50
o'clock this afternoon.
IS or 40 Meetings Held.
Some IS or 40 joint meetings have
been held between the operators and
the miners without agreement. The
country is in desperate straits as a
result of the recent strike of the
coal miners. Coal must be got out
of the ground. The whole life of
the Nation has suffered from the
coal strike and will suffer increas-
ingly if there is another stoppage.
THE step I have taken today
comes at the end of a long series
OF efforts to bring about a settle
ment. These efforts date back to
last March. I was informed at the
beginning of the negotiations that
both the miners and the operators
were confident they could settle their
dispute among themselves. From
the beginning, however, a Govern
ment observer has sat in on the
deliberations.
Since April more than score
OF meetings have been held at which
Government conciliators presided.
All these negotiations have ended
in the deadlock reported to me this
morning by both parties.
Outlines Basic Elements.
I'm the light of this situation
I propose that the two sides agree
to submit their differences to arbi-
tration
The basic elements in the plan
Of arbitration would be as follows:
81. That the parties agree upon
an arbitrator to hear and pass upon
the disputes.
20. That the miners remain at
work during arbitration proceedings.
Both Mr.. Lewis and Mr.. O'Neill
said they would present the proposal
to their respective committees and
come back today as I requested"
No Comment on Meeting.
Neither Mr.. Lewis nor Mr.. O'Nein
had made any comment of i'm
portance on leaving the White
House. The operators spokesman
merely said Mr.. Truman asked them
to return later. Mr.. Lewis said:
THE magic numerals are $50"
Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach
and Edward F. McGrady, special
Federal mediator, also attended the
morning conference.
Asked by newsmen how he would
pass the time until this after
(see COAL. Page A-33