The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-11-21
FOOD SUPPLY
NOW MENACED
Immediate Future of Packing
and Other Industries
Gives Concern.
COAL IA NJ IN E NEARER
New Strikes Spreading in
West Virginia-Colorado
Walk Out Held Up.

creasing coal shortage today had be-
gun to menace additional industries
and threaten slightly tn nations
food supply, with the further pros
pect Of a sweeping curtailment Of
passenger traffic within twenty-f four
hours. AS the bituminous coal MIN
err rounded out three weeks OF idle-
ness It became know, through
statement here by the regional coal
committee, that the big Chicago
packing plants "have about two
weeks supply" of coal left, and that
when they have used that the COM
mittee will not be able to release any
coal to Il en-"
The immediate futui o. the steel
industry today was causing concern,
according to one Pennsylvania manu-
facturer. and In the Chicago district
the Corn Products company. at Argo,
ILL.,. announced suspension, its other
plant at Pekin. H., both having q
capacity of 100000 bushels Of corn
day, already having been closed. The
| regional coal committee indicated II
expected extensive shutdowns during
tho next ten days unless production
ON o large scale was resumed.
No Increased Production.
| In the general situation as regards
| the mines themselves, only slight
| changes were apparent today. They
| die not point to increased production.
| Governors of all states possessing
bituminous mine. today had tele-
grams from Gov. Harding, of Iowa,
suggesting concerted action to take
over the mines and grant the work.
ers a substantial increase pending the
result of the joint wage conference
at Washington.
WaIkout Called on.
Denver, Colo, Nov. 2t.-Georps q.
johnson, district president Of the
United Mine Workers Of America,
early today announced the strike of
the bItuminous coal miners in Coll
orado which had been ordered for
Friday midnight, had been called of
in accordance with the injunction is.
sued late last night by District Judge
Clarence j. Morley, Of Denver.
/ District President George 0. John
son, of the United Mine Workers sof
sAs~erica. early today had not sent
out orders calling Off the strike and
i had declined TO state what attit1de
he would take.
Il am going to consult my attox~:
ney first,' he said.
|
the state industrial law providing
thirty days notice before strike or
lockout is unconstitutional. The law
neve has been tested in the courts
and 1T was considered probable in La
bo' circles today that the present sit
uation might be used to determine
the laws validity.
Virginia Status Serious.
Charleston, w. Va, Nov. 21.--Ofn-
cials of district No. II, United Mine
Workers of America, announced early
today reports from the New river
coal fields, where many miners quit
work during the past two days, indi-
Gated the situation in that region was
serious" and 1t was declared a fur
ther spread of the strike was prob
able. On the heels of this announces
ment came statement from a rep
resentative of the operators thai the
new strike would not CHI nge the
present policy" of the companies to
abolish the CHECK off" system of COL
iectlng union dues, which action Id
sad to have caused the miners to
walk out.
Steel Mills to Close.
youngstown, o., Nov. 21.--Mills of
the Mahoning and Shenango valleys.
forming the second largest steel
producing region in the country. to-
dly faced possibility of closing on
account of coal shortage, following
orders by d. L. Murray, local fuel
director, cutting off supplies to all
factories. Some of the smaller steel
mills will be forced tc close in two
or three days, it was said by company
oinclals. The large plants have sup
pies for periods varying from ten to
thirty days.
f Want Order OverruIed.
( bismarck, N. D., Nov. PA peti-
t tlon asking the state supreme court
g 10 overrule the order of District
5 Judge Nuessle which directed the
state TO return mining properties to
i their owners is expected to be filed
e III the supreme court today by cour :
Y sci for Gov. Frazier. The petition
charges Judge Nuessle acted unlaw-
fully when he ordered the return of
t the Washburn Coal company's prop
/ erty at Wilton, N. D., to its owners
by next Monday. A writ to prohibit
enforcement of the order is sought
from the supreme court.
New Contracts Signed.
t Knoxville, Nov. 21.-The United
Nine Workers district No. 10, with
I headquarters at Jellico, Thursday
|
/ tracts have been signed with opera
|. tors of three mines in the PinevilIe,
t KY, section and that negotiations
D are under way for new contracts with
e one company operating at Wofford
S ana another at Williamsburg, KY. II
g was said by union organizers that
< approximately 500 men Were affected
e by the contracts signed and that an
/ additional $50 would be prolled II
pending neEotiati ms with the two
other companies carry through.
Indianapolis, Ind, Nov. 21.-Any
Y attempt on the part of governors OF
5 states affected by the strike of btu
r minous coal miners to seize the mines
A might complicate the negotiations
now under way between the miners
r and operators at Washington, and for
that reason Gov. James +. Goodrich,
= OF Indiana, does not favor such a
4 move at this time.
The Indiana executive made this
Z reply to a telegram from Gov. Hard
ing, of Iowa, who suggested the gov
n ernors of coal-producing states unite
$ to seize the mines. Gov. Goodrich
suggested it would be better to await
y the outcome of the conference in
Washington before taking any dras-
tic steps.
Kansas city. Nov. si.-The supply
; of coal held by dealers here will be
d exhausted today, it is learned. IL tbs
% usual uumbgr nf orders frpD1 daraaafi