Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-02
100000 MINERS
TAKING PART IN
GENERAL STRIKE
LEADERS STATE
Suspension Of Coal Produc-
ton By Union Workers
Marks First Day Of Ma
tion-Wide WaIkout,
5000 OF THE 1000
MINES REPORTED IDLE
Lewis Leaves for Washing
ton to Appear Monday Be-
fore Committee to Pre-
sent Diggers' Views.
ny The Associated rress.l

indianapolis, Ind, April 1.-Com-
plete suspension of coal mining by,
Iunion workers mslKed the begin
ming today Of the nation wide walk
out ordered by the United Mine
Workers of America. Union lead
ers estimated 100000 miners. in
Icluding 100000 non-union men had
enlisted in the movement and pre-
idicted no change could be expected
soon.
The exact effectiveness of the
suspension, especially in non-union
and partly organized fields, was
difficult to gauge. however, be-
cause today also marked the ami
versary OF the Introduction of the
eight-hour work day in the ccal
industry, and is an annual holiday
in the coal fields. Nevertheless.
union officials were confident that
mo union men, except those author.
Iized to stay at 'rork, would return.
to the mines on Monday.
No Tabulation Prepared.
Union head 1uarterS here pre-
pared no tabulation showing the
geographical distribution of the
idle men, but the reports from field
leaders showed the great bulk or
the suspension centered In Penn
sylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indi-
ara, Illinois. Missouri. Iowa. Kan.
/ sas and nearby southwestern states.
Reports from other fields were
somewhat vague. and union Off
cials did not expect an exact show
ling for the entire country would be
available before the middle of next
week.
President John J.. Lewis estimat-
ed that 5000 Of the 1000 mines
| in the country that have been
operating recently had closed, and
| in addition II was pointed out that
/ $500 mines have been idle for
lsome time.
In various particularly In
Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
the fields leaders of the union were
Eplnpning meetings during the next
| few days, their purpose icing 10
gain as much support as possible
from the non-union worters. In
the strongly unionized fields, which
were hit the hardest today by the
suspension, the union leaders re-
earded any break in their battle
front as impossible.
The anthracite fields of Pennsyl-
vania and the big soft coal area
comprising the central competitive
/ field. and the southwest Interstate
district were believed by the union
officials as already started on an
| Indefinite and prolonged suspens
sion. Reports also indicated that
4 the other coal fields were closed to-
I day, but operators In some of these
| districts were said to be planning
to resume work soon.
Extends to Canada.
Mines in western Canada were
reported as closed but those in
Nova Scotia were In operation.
Five thousand union miners in
| Kentucky also were scheduled un-
der the unions program to remain
at work, Mr.. Lewis declaring that
this was in harmony with a con-
tract with the operators which has
( another year to run In addition
1900 union men were to remain
in the mines to protect the prop
critics from damage. but reports TO
union headquarters here indicates
\ that disputes had developed in
Iowa, Montana and Washington as
/ to the wages to be paid these main
tenance men. The union leaders
| in these states were insisting that
the wages provided in the contracts
expiring last midnight be cortin-
Continued on Page Two.)