Evening star., 1922-04-02
FIRST REAL TEST
OF STRIKES SCOPE
COMES TOMORROW
CONTINUED from First Page.)


and the southwest interstate district,
were believed by the union officials as
already started on an indefinite and
prolonged , suspension: Reports also
indicated that the other coal fields
were closed today, but operators in
some of these districts were said to
be planning to resume work soon.
Mines in western Canada were re-
ported as closed, but those in Nova
Scotia were in operation. Five thou
sand union miners in Kentucky also
We're scheduled under the unions pro-
gram to remain at work, Mr.. Lewis
declaring that this was in harmony
with contract with operators that
mas another year to run. In addi-
tion, l3,OOO union men were to remain
IN the mines to protect the properties
from damage. but reports to union
headquarters here indicated that dis
putes had developed in Iowa, Montana
and Washington as to the wages to
be paid these maintenance men. The
union leaders in these states were in
sistng that the wages provided in the
contracts expiring last midnight be
continued, while operators were said
to be seeking reductions.
"COal Year, Begins.
dn addition to marking the ami
versary Of the miners eight-hour
work day and the beginning of their
neously, involving both anthracite and
bituminous fields. today also is known
as the beginning of the coal year."
AS such, summer prices" for coal
have been fixed in the past. the mar
gin of decline usually being so cents
ton, which Was wiped out by grad
ual increases until September
Retailers here announce no change
today in their prices, and mine own
ers declared they had no coal for
sale. The operators here also added
that the storage Of coal was prac-
ticed only by anthracite operators, as
sertlng that the bituminouS product
could not be stored advantageously.
The sumner prices for the btu
minous coal, according to the opera
tors, had in the past been on current
production. Union officials said the
only significance of the beginning OF
the coal year. from their point of
view was that the date usually mark
ed the beginning of new wage con-
tracts. the absence of which provoked
the unions order for the general sus-
pension Of work.
Before leaving for Washington Mr.
| Lewis declared that the suggestion of
government operation of the mines
made by Senator Borah, republican.
Idaho, was significant" and the
union leader added that he believed
it was fundamentally correct"
National Authority Needed.
The creation OF some national au-
thority over the coal industry is nee
| essary-call it what you may" de-
clared Mr.. Lewis. This does not
necessarily mean government own
ership, which 1 doubt could now be
accomplished, because of the enor-
nous amount of money that would be
| required to buy all the mines and also
the difficulty of finding a method OF
| payment
Pointing out the governments con-
| the Interstate Commerce Commission
and other agencies, Mr.. Lewis indi-
Gated his approval of the government
exercising similar control over the
| mining industry. Such control, he
! asserted, should provide for a licens.
| ing system for the operation of mines
| so as to eliminate waste in the in
! dustry through the elimination OF
| haphazard mining.
! He also declared that any govern
ment control should compel the coal
! industry to care for men crippled OF
killed when at work, and also theiI
dependents
Any regulations" Mr.. Lewis de.
clared, must be applied equally-to
all of the mines of the country. II
should not be aimed only at the now
unioniZed mines, but should take In
every field in the country regardless
| OF how it is now operated"
| Aside from commenting on govern.
ment control, Mr.. Lewis reiterated
the statement that union rail workers
were not to be asked by the miners
| to join in the strike, and in this con-
nection he said that the miners union
would not be represented at the
meeting Of several rail union chiefs
| in Chicago tomorrow.