The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-04-03
SUSPENSION OF WORK ViRTU-
ALLY COMPLETE TODAY

Continued from page II
places would be closed down today
by the strike of these men.
George Wolfe, secretary of the asso-
citation of operators at Winding quiz
said that no organization was effect
ed meetings at Sophia or Rhodell,
AT the Rhodell meeting Mr.. Sprouse
sid no attempt was made to organ
ize the meeting being preliminary to
plans by which organizers are hop
ing to bring the whole field into the
strike during the present week.
In the New River field formerly
unioniZed territory but more recently
operating under an old scale with
out union sanction. Mr.. Sprouse said
the men had returned to the union.
Practically every mine east of Gauley
river on the chesapeake and Ohio
river nd mines Of Loop Creek, aUrn
Creek nd elsewhere in the field
would he closed to day, he said
Washmgt on. April ARMED with
all the arguments and statistics that
have heen assembled by the United
Mine Workers Of America to support
the action of the union in suspending
work in the nations coal mines. John
T. Lewis, International president of
the mine workers. was in Washington
today TO appear before the House Ia
bor committee ard to confer with gov
eminent officials regarding the strike.
In appearing before the House com
mittee. Mr.. Lewis will address his
remarks directly to the subject of
the committees hearing, the bland
resolutions to direct the appointment
of committee to study the coal in
dustry but questions planned by com
mlttee members are expected to lead
the mine workers president into var
icus aspects of the strike situation.
Mr.. Lewis said today he was quite
satisfied with progress of the strike
and although recognizing that today
and the next few days to come will
provide the first test of the effective
ness of the walkout. predicted. there
will not be single one return to
work this week from the 600. 600 men
who went out"
Indianapolis, April 3. - The first
test of strength in the nation wide
suspension of work by union coal
miners came today. the beginning of
the suspension on Saturday a nation.
al holiday among miners has failed
to determine the exact effectiveness
of the walkOut. The headouarters
here of The United Mine Workers of
America, confidence was expressed
that the days DEVELOPMENTS woulo
confirm the union estimate of six
hundred thousand men. among them
100000 non-uniOn workers had laid
down their tools for an indefinite Der
Iod of idleneSs. A tactic truce he.
tween miners and operators was
counted on apparently to make the
union estimate of idle men a Ger.
tainty. Few if any operators in the
big coal producing centers that are
strongly unionized were expected to
attempt an early resumption OF oper-
atoms. The situation however was
in doubt in the non-union and open
shop districts.
In addition Central PENNSYLVANIA
and West Virginia, along with sma.
Ter coal fields were counted on to
swell the ranks of the striking men
Operators of the Pennsylvania an
thracite mines were not planning an
! immediate resumption of work and
reports sent here indicated that Il
s:lilar attitude on the part of mine
owners in the central connective
fled and the southwest Interstate
district. These three districts have
more than 100000 employees. ex"ept.
ing about half of the 1856 coo anthra.
cite working. States included in
this stronghold of the suspension
were ePnnsylvania, Ohio. Indiana Hi
nois, Missouri, Iowa. Kansas, Arkan.
sas and Oklahoma.