New-York tribune., 1922-03-29
Lewis Expected to Send
an Immediate Call for
100000 to Walk Out
at Midnight Friday
Fear Many Will
Quit i'm Advance
Small Hope That 2OO,.
900 Non Union Men
Will Join Movement
specto. Dispatch 10 The rr.bun,

INDIANAPOLIS. March 2s - Tele
graphic instructions to more than half
a million union coal miners to drop
their tools at midnight on Friday prob
ably will be sent out tomorrow from
the headquarters of the United Mine
Workers Of America, it was announced
to-day. John l.. Lewis, president of the
union, is expected to arrive in Indian
apolis from his home in Springfield,
Ill.,, in the morning, and will authorize
immediate confirmation by wire Of the
formal call for suspension of mining
operations throughout the country
Indications that the miners in some
areas are planning to quit work even
before the strike takes effect caused
union officials here to send messages
to these districts, urging the men not
to walk out in advance of the strike
call. Every effort would be made to
prevent this, it was said at headouar.
terS.
Non-Union Men May Remain
1t is admitted in union circles that
small hope is held out for walkout
Of 100000 non-unon miners in sup
port Of the strike. Operators of non
union mines and their employees both
rldiculed the assertion of Lewis that
thousands of the unorganized workers
would quit, and pointed out the belief
in non-union circles that if the miners
won the coming strike the non-union
men would have to join the unions or
starve
Lewis, in a statement issued al
Springfield, said
Reports from all sections of the
country indicate that the organized
mine workers and great number of
unorganized miners will cease work or
April !. This will include the anthra-
cite and bituminous fields and is in
dicative of wonderful unity of thought
and steadfastness of purpose among
the mine workers of the country. The
mine workers have no alternative but
to take this action. The situation is
forced upon them by the arbitrary
action Of the coal operators and the
American public may we'll place the
responsibility where it properly be-
longs.
"The miners are fighting for lv-
ing wage and the American method of
living and do not propose TO compro-
mise these principles. They will enter
the fight standing upon this high moral
premise and with deep conviction
that justice will be accorded them in
the end"
Four Hooking Mines Close
Reports from Columbus said that
four mines in the Hooking Valley dis
trct, where the miners union was born.
had already closed down. In Bridge
port, o.. about 1900 men were locked
out because Of surprisingly sudden
stump IN the demand for coal on the
eve of the strike. They were notifed
by the operators that work would be
suspended until new wage agreement
had been reached.
AdvIces from Perry County Ohio,
SAID that the walk-out there would be
complete because the non-union miners
would quit along with the organized
workers. Even stripping operations
that would produce 200 tons of coal a
day will not be attempted, it was said.
In the Hooking field many miners al
ready are in want because some of the
mines have been shut down entirely or
running only part time for several
months.
Lee Hall, president of the Ohio union,
said the miners would "protect the
public welfare in every way possible"
Hope For Triple Alliance"
The lack Of financial aid from the
railroad unions and the refusal of the
brotherhoods to call sympathetic
strike have not completely disheartened
the miners who still hope for triple
alliance" of rail. mine and dock work
ers. Considerable satisfaction was
evinced in union quarters over the de-
cision of dock workers in New York
not to handle British coal that might
be shipped in in an effort to break
the miners strike.
Illinois miners and operators will
confer in Chicago tomorrow on pro-
gram of revised working rules and
wage reductions "low enough to meet
competition from other fields" The
operators held a quiet council of war
in Chicago to-day to complete the
drafting of the proposal they will
make to the union miners. 1t will in
clude the abolition Of the check of
tContinusd on next pass)