Show I Owners Offer To Discuss Pension WASHINGTON March 19 UP- UP Soft coal operators appealed Friday Friday Fri Fri- day to John L. L Le Lewis s to end the mine shut down and offered to negotiate negotiate negotiate ne ne- ne- ne on his demand for miners' miners pensions The pension demand is the key keyo to o the dispute that touched of off the old day walkout which already already al- al ready eady has forced a cutback cutback- in rail and steel operations Producers w who h o account for three fourths of ot the nations nation's soft Boft coal oal output made their plea pica in a aletter letter etter to Lewis They charged that the mine shutdown violated t the their h e i r work agreement with Lewis' Lewis United Mine Aline Workers Nevertheless t the they h e y did not threaten to tako take any legal action against Lewis or the union The raft Hartley act permits damage suits for tor breaking contracts Charles ONeill O'Neill spokesman for tor forthe ho tho major operators said they wanted to sit down with Lewis and talk alk over the pension dispute But Buthe Buthe Buthe he made it clear they would not move until he sent the idle miners back to work No deadline was VIM set lIet for tor Lewis to o act ONeill O'Neill told a news conference we are trying to find out what this his is about why about why they are on strike He expressed sed the opinion that the he work stoppages were absolutely unwarranted Reminded that under the contract con con- tract th the miners are obliged to work vork only while able and willing ONeill O'Neill said the operators agreed to o that provision In the contract last ast July 8 in the belief It applied only to safety ty conditions I think Mr Le Lewis s and the miners are arc striking in violation of ot our contract and all the rules the industry ever operated under ONeill O'Neill added |