STRIKE IN AMERICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1922, Page 5

STRIKE IN AMERICA.

SETTLEMENT EFFORTS. PARTIAL PROGRESS MADE. OBJECTIONS TO OFFER. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received July 2, 10.40 p.m. New York, Aug. 1. Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Pittsburg coal operators have indicated that they will refuse Mr. Lewis’ invitation to a conference with the miners to settle the strike. The operators declare they are willing to meet representatives of the State Union, but are not willing to treat with the united mineworkers of America. The executives of 148 United States railroads, by a vote of 252 to 2, rejected unqualified President Harding’s suggestion that the railroads should take back the strikers with seniority and rights of promotion intact, and accept with limitation the remaining suggestions, namely, the withdrawal of pending lawsuits against the strikers, and to abide by future decisions of the Railroad Labor Board. The executives demanded that their right to go to the Courts in future on any matter as in the past be guaranteed. In their reply the executives declared: “We cannot consider any settlement of the strike which does not provide protection in present employment of loyal employees who remained in the service and new employees chosen to fill the strikers’ places. A settlement on the full terms would result in a situation more disastrous than this or any strike can produce.” Washington, August 1.

President Harding has published a summary of the plan submitted to the railway managers and strikers for a settlement of the strike. It provides that botli sides shall recognise the validity of all the Railway Labor Board’s decisions and carry them out. It also provides for the withdrawal of all law suits and that all the strikers shall return to work with their seniority and other rights unimpaired. At Chicago a strike of 20,000 tramway and elevated railway workers has tied up the city transportation. According to a Philadelphia message, Mr- Lewis, president of the mineworkers, has called a conference of operators and miners at Cleveland for Monday. It is believed he has the operators’ assurance of their acceptance of some plan for the settlement of the miners’ strike.

New York. August 1. Mr. Farington, president of the Illinois Federation of Miners, in a statement, says: “We do not condone lawlessness, but we believe every man innocent until he is proved guilty, and consequently we will finance the defence of every man brought to trial here. The over-wrought public does not always exercise discrimination in the selection of its victims, and public officials, to satisfy public clamour, often convict innocent men when the culprits cannot he found.”