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Show JOHN I. LEWIS BEFORE CONGRESS I ! j Union Leader Says Men are Eager to j I Get Back to Work i WASHINGTON, April 3. Union coal miners who suspended -work Saturday in tho nation's bituminous and anthracite fi?lds were declared todaj by John I.. Lewis, president ol the United Mine Workers ol Amenta to be desirous, of ending "the. suspension of mining operations at thn earliest possible date," but the resumption of coal production entirely depends upon the future attitude of the i.i l nut l ,U';1 3, Mr. Lewis made this declaration be- j ! fore the house labor committee which lis holding hearings on the Bland reso- j lution to direct appointment by the , president of a commission to investi-1 investi-1 gate the coal Industry. Discussing. the resolution under consideration I I the mine workers' president asserted i that the mine workers would welcome tony impartial and Judicial invesiiga- I I Hon of the general conditions In thel I bituminous and anthracite foal in-' dustrles, and especially the facts re- j lilting to Investment and profits, op-I 'crating practices, conservation of fuel ' resources, application of uniform , methods of safeguarding the life and i limbs of the workers and Industrial relations and conditions. N I EDS 11 Hi POWER "Such an ln estlgating body." he I added, "should bo clothed with full power to ascertain the truth, to send j for persons and papers and to take testimony under oath. The personnel of such a commission should be free I from political equations and the mine workers should be given adequate rep-, e ntatlbn che'heoTi ' ; " Vs to the adjustment of contro- j versies between operators and mine workers, we have been traditionally Opposed to governmental interven-I tlon," Mr. Dew Is continued "We haoj been convinced by experience thai j , such adjustment may be more effec- "lively and equitably worked out both I in the Interest or the public and of those engaged In the industry by con-lerence con-lerence and ugr.-eniciu between rep-i rep-i v'.-ntuti es ol the operators and the mine workers. If the operators had maintained their contract with us, thel present deplorable condition of affairs In Ihe sott coal industry would not have arisen All difficulties should have been settled by agreement and a suspension of work and a general 'breakdown in the industry avoided. I EXPERIENCE ESSENTIAL. "Our experience with labor adjustment adjust-ment boards or commissions has been ' that representatives of the public, not having a knowledge of tho technique of the coal mining Industry are not In a position to reach as satisfactory conclusions as those who are actively engaged In the practical operation of the mines. "The L'nited Mine Workers regret more than any one else the necessity for a suspension of work by the union coal miners of the country. We have I done everything humanly possible to , avoid the suspension For months past we have fought hard to induce, the bituminous coal operators to keep, faith with us and with the government 1 and meet vis In joint conference, so thai a new wage and working agree-ment agree-ment might be made that would maintain main-tain industrial peace ind rc-vent public pub-lic inconvenience. 1GREI 1 1 VI Q1 oi en. In a Joint conference held in the city of New York on the . 31st of March, 1920 a two-year agreement i was slgne vering wages ami work - J lng condltiuns In the mining Industry for that period. In this basic agree-I ment appears the following provl-j sion- " 'Resolved. That an Interstate joint conference be held prior to April i, 11922, the time and place of holding such meeting as referred to a committee com-mittee of two operators and two miners min-ers from each state herein represented; represent-ed; i"Uth. r . ith the international of- I fleers of the l'nited Mine W orkers' or- I ..1. .. ,!.... , I The mine workers in the country believed that the coal operators signed the agreement in good faith, but wo now find that they contumaciously rt - I fue to live up to their agreement. Thej hove refused polntblank to do us :he agreed tbe would do. If they Were to refuse to liquidate their flnan- i il obligations it w ould be no more dishonorable than their refusal to ;. ep i hen solemn igi eement w 1th I h. mine workers. IN VI rATIOJi REF1 SED. a in two occasions since the month of December. 191. the operators have been formally invited by the mine workers representatives to meet in joint conference at a designated time and place for the purpose Indicated in the agreement. .On each occasion our Invitation haH been refused. P. H Penna of Indiana, the chief spokesman lor the coal operators of tie central competitive field, In a recent re-cent public Interview said- " 'I cannot deny that our refusal to meet is a violation of our agreement.' agree-ment.' In the face of such brazen and uncompromising attitude on the part of the coal operators tlm mine workers work-ers ha I no alternative bill to quit their work when the agreement expired und await the maklm,' Of another agreement agree-ment It Is particularly unfortunate j that hundreds of thousands of men must be withdraw n i roni industry lo i the detriment of the social and economic econ-omic well being of our country before a joint conference can be hi Id and an agreement negotiated. The responsibility responsi-bility must rest clearly upon the Shoulder's of the coal operators. Their attitude .Should rightfully bring dov. n upon them the moral castigatlon of j un outraged citizenship "The public can follow its own reasoning rea-soning in defining the motives of the' operators Whether it be their mere sor.lld desire to enrich further their' own teeming coffers or whether it be thel! futile hope to destrov the United Mine Workers of America and beat the miners backward, ii Is equally reprehensible. "The mine workers are still ready 1 ;o meet the operators at any time such a meeting is possible." |