Help From President

HELP FROM PRESIDENT

HE SUMMONS PRINCIPALS OF STRIKE FOR CONFERENCE.

MINE OWNERS AND STRIKE LEADERS TO MEET HIM FRIDAY.

WILL APPEAL TO THEIR HONOR TO SETTLE MATTERS.

Washington, D. C., Oct. 2. -- President Roosevelt will make an effort to bring the anthracite coal mine operators and their striking employes together in the interest of the public good. This conclusion was reached after a series of conferences with his cabinet advisers, covering Tuesday and yesterday.

The decision was arrived at when the lawyers of the cabinet informed the president that there was no way under the constitution and the form of government of the United States for federal intervention to end the strike. Every phase of the situation was canvassed and the determination to have the mine operators and President Mitchell meet the president was reached when it was found that no other method was open. At the conclusion of the conference yesterday, which was attended by Secretaries Root, Shaw and Moody, Attorney-General Knox and Postmaster-General Payne, at the temporary White House, the following statement was issued:

"White House, Washington, Oct. 1. -- George F. Baer, president Reading railway system, Philadelphia; W. H. Truesdale, president Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Co., 26 Exchange place, New York; E. B. Thomas, chairman of the board, Erie Railroad company, 21 Cortland street, New York; Thomas P. Fowler, president New York, Ontario & Western Railway Co., 56 Beaver street, New York; R. M. Olyphant, president Delaware & Hudson Co., New York; John Markle, 527 West Thirty-fourth street, New York: I should greatly like to see you on Friday next, Oct. 3, at 11 o'clock a. m. here in Washington, in regard to the failure of the coal supply, which has become a matter of vital concern to the whole nation. I have sent a similar dispatch to Mr. John Mitchell, president of the United Mineworkers of America.

"THEODORE ROOSEVELT."

At the meeting Friday the line of approach toward the settlement of the strike will be an appeal by President Roosevelt to both sides to come together as men and not to allow false pride or a feeling of obstinacy to stand int he way of the termination of the greatest strike which is fraught with such threat of misery to thousands of people. It is stated by one of the president's advisers that beyond this the president cannot go; he has no powers of compulsion to bring into play against either side, and he must rely upon his persuasive ability and his appeals to their sense of humanity if anything tangible is to be accomplished.

The president intends to lay before his hearers the situation as it appears to him, with all the prospective horrors that will follow a fuel famine and will urge them, in the interests of humanity, to open the mines and supply the demand for coal. The president has taken this action because he feels it to be his duty to do so, as the executive head of a nation threatened with great peril. The president, in a sense, has taken upon himself the burdens of an arbitrator in this great dispute between capital and labor, and though the arbitration is not compulsory and is not even known under the name of arbitration in any of the invitations issued, it is the hope of the president and his advisers that it will be effective.

It is stated by a member of the cabinet that there is no political purpose in this effort, ut that the president is moved to exert his influence solely in the interests of the people.

There will be no one present at Friday's meeting at the temporary White House but the principals. It is true that Friday is cabinet day and that 11 o'clock, the hour appointed in the invitation for the meeting of the coal magnates, is the usual hour of the assemblying of the cabinet, but according to the present understanding, that cabinet meeting will be postponed. The purpose of the postponement is plainly to relieve the invited guests from the feeling of reserve that might naturally be created if they appeared before the entire cabinet, including some exceedingly clever lawyers whom the coal people might not care to meet in a business way in the absence of their own legal advisors. So the absence of the cabinet will give the president an opportunity to do just what he wants, namely, to have a good, heart to heart talk with the operators and Mr. Mitchell, to induce them to talk to each other freely and to reason quietly and soberly and finally to agree, if possible, to make concessions on each side which will terminate the strike. And, at least, if this last object cannot be directly attained, it is hoped that the foundations may be laid for an agreement in the near future, perhaps an agreement between the principals to have further meetings and perhaps to refer open issues between them to third parties.

It is stated positively that the president has no assurances from either side which formed the basis of his call for this meeting.

President Roosevelt's proposition for a gathering here Friday morning of representatives of the coal companies and coal operators and the miners met a prompt response from a number of the gentlemen to whom invitations were sent. During yesterday afternoon and evening the president received replies to his invitation from President John Mitchell, President G. F. Baer and one or two others. Mr. Baer's prompt reply to the president's suggestion was particularly gratifying to Mr. Roosevelt, and it was believed that in all probability his acceptance will insure favorable replies from other officials who were invited.

The president is expressing the keenest interest in the coming gathering and expresses the sincere hope that it will result in steps that will bring about the cessation of the strike.