Anthracite

Another week went by at Atlantic City (TIME, July 20, 27) and the anthracite coal miners and operators managed to sandwich in four sessions of conference. They have until Aug. 31 (when the present wage contract expires) in which to come to an agreement on wages after that date. Otherwise a strike is in prospect.

Increased wages and the check-off (collecting Union dues from the miners' pay by the operators) were discussed quite fruitlessly. The miners were supposed to be "presenting their case." This presentation will probably take a week or two longer. After that the operators will probably take about the same time to present their case: reasons for decreasing wages, refusing the checkoff.

Both sides have spent their time largely in jockeying for position in public favor, and experienced observers believe that they have no intention of coming to grips until a strike is in immediate prospect. In the first place, they have never done so before. In the second place, the miners as a group would be inclined to be suspicious of any contract quickly arrived at--believing that their representatives had not done the best that was possible.

It was predicted by John J. Leary Jr., a correspondent who specializes in Labor difficulties, that the final arrangement would take the form of an agreement: 1) To continue present wages; 2) to appoint a semi-public fact-finding body to prepare data for a future settlement; 3) a contract for 18 months to expire Apr. 1, 1927. On this same date, the wage contract in the bituminous coal fields expires, raising the prospect of a joint strike of both hard-and soft-coal producers. This prospect is not without advantages to both operators and miners. To the anthracite operators, it would mean a strike without the prospect of losing any of their market by the public's taking to soft coal as a substitute. To the miners, it would mean a chance to obtain a wage increase, since all coal prices would soar tremendously, and there would be prospect of such large profits to operators that they might more willingly accept a wage increase.

Part of last week's jockeying was in a matter of the personnel of the negotiators. The operators appointed a conference committee this year that is almost entirely new--the former "big guns" being absent. The miners saw or professed to see in this an intention by the operators to hold their "big guns" back for a final assault. As a result, John L. Lewis, President of the Union Mine Workers, left the conference after the opening session, "called away on business," and did not return. Each side accused the other of insincerity in sending "underlings" as negotiators. Each insisted that its conferees were fully empowered to reach an agreement, that it was not stalling.

The operators, jockeying for position, formally proposed that, if no agreement were reached, work should continue and arbitration settle the terms of thd contract. As everyone foreknew, the miners refused this, having frequently expressed their abhorrence of arbitration. Rumors began to get about that the Administration was worried for fear that Governor Pinchot of Pennsylvania would seize the advantage in the public eye of jumping in as mediator before it did. On the other hand, it would be foolish for either Mr. Coolidge or Mr. Pinchot to join the fray before it becomes apparent that there will be a deadlock. Behind this Pinchot vs. Administration rumor is a bit of inference by political observers. They believe that Governor Pinchot desires to run for Senator next year against Senator George Wharton Pepper in the Republican primary. They even suggest that Mr. Pinchot hopes to step into the Presidency from the Senate, if he gets there. Naturally Senator Pepper does not wish to see a possible rival get credit for saving the country from a hard-coal strike. And Mr. Coolidge does not wish to see one of his firm supporters, such as Mr. Pepper, supplanted by an insurgent, such as Mr. Pinchot, with the prospect of that insurgent being a possible rival for his own place in 1928. But it is quite within the bounds of probability that Governor Pinchot may begin casting about for some means of enhancing his prestige that would advance him to the office vacated less than three years ago by the death of his dear enemy--the enemy who used to snarl his name contemptuously ''Pin-shot"--the late Senator Boies Penrose.