Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-02
In Scattered Districts Where
Contracts Still Are in Force,
Union Workers for Most
Part Report as Usual.
SOFT COAL PRODUCTION
VIRTUALLY AT AN END
Number of Men Reported Out
435,820, and Leaders Claim
Ranks Of Strikers Will Be
Augmented Daily.

Chicago, Nov. Although to-
night found nearly all the nations
vast bituminous coal fields closed
as result of the miners strike, eff
fcctive Friday midnight. thousands
of non-union miners were at work,
and in scattered districts where con-
tracts still were in force. union min
ers reported as usual. Figures COM
piled tonight and based chiefly upon
union leaders claims, although in
many cases conceded by the opera
tors, showed that 435,820 men were
on strike.
In its physical aspects the strike
apparently had largely stopped pro-
duction of soft coal. but with large
non-unionr fields of Pennsylvania
and Kentucky in particular still op-
Grating at somewhere near normal
and with number of small fields
also operating with union contract
miners, the actual effect upon pro-
duction could not be dehnetly
stated.
Can't Yet Gauge Strike.
The first day of the strike was
All Saints day. also Saturday,
virtual holiday in many mining
regions, and the full power of the
United Mine Workers of America,
which ordered the strike. will not be
fully gagged until Monday.
Coal operators claimed thousands
of non-union miners were producing
coal in the usual quantities, although
conceding that in union fields the
strike~is effective.
Union leaders reported in most
instances that the strike was vir-
tually 100 per cent effective through
out the country.
Figures on Men Out.
Tonight's figures on the number
of men oat were as follows:
Alabama, $4,000; Arkansas. 1000;
Colorado, 5000; Illinois. 10000; In
diana, $4,000; Iowa. $4,000; Kansas,
10000; Kentucky, 10000; Maryland,
1000; Michigan, 2.40O; Missouri,
5000; Montana, 1000; New Mexico,
500: North Dakota. l20; Ohio, 49,
600; Oklahoma. l0,500; Pennsylv-
ania, $1,000: Tennessee, 10000;
Texas, 1000; Utah, 1000; Washing
ION, 5000; West Virginia, 1900;
Wyoming. 5000.
Although the quartermaster gen-
eral of the army ordered the man
agement of the O'Gara mine. near
Springfield, ILL.,, which supple.
Camp Grant, a permanent army
cantonment at Rockford, ILL.,. to con-
tinue operation, the miners re.
mained away, from the mine.
More Than 4o1 ,480 Strike.
/ The number of men reported on
strike is considerably in excess II
the 40l ,4S0 members i'll good stand
ing in the union at the end of All
gust. as reported to miners national
headquarters in Indianapolis. Union
leaders explained that at that time
fully IS per cent of the union meil
were behind in their dues and tllet
since then many had been reinstated.
While union mines were tied up
in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illi-
nois,l Indiana and Iowa as we'll as
other important coal-producilg
states, about half Of Kentucky's 40,-
600 miners were still at work. That
fact was largely accounted for ty
the fact that in the western Ken
lucky field the miners and operators
signed an agreement about six
weeks ago specifically providing
that those mines would not be af-
fected by the strike.
| The most unusual situation was
that in Utah, where the majority
of the mines were reported still at
work. That condition resulted from
conflicting instructions to the min
ers. John H. McLenan, Utah repre-
sentative of the union, called off the
strike 48 hours ago, at the same time
announcing that he had received
telegram from John L. Lewis, head
of the organization. that the strike
Continued on Page Tive. Column Four,