Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-04
j. s. LACKS FACTS
IN COAL SITUATION
Officials at Sea Over Posi-
biIity of Strike in Bitumin-
Gus Fields.

Possibility of a bituminous coal
strike in the union fields of the coun-
try is a contingency on which Gov
eminent observers in Washington are
as much at sea as the man in the
street.
Forecasts of a strike or continuance
of work by the union miners beyond
March 81, when the JacksonVhie
agreement expires, cannot be mace
on any authority one way or the
other. Whether or not the country
will have to go through another
strike period, such as the 1877 ces-
sation of work, rests entirely on What
is done at the annual conventlon y!
the United Mine Workers Oh Amer
lea, at indianapolis, beginning Jan
uarv 81. Even then nothing may De
definitely known, and, even II there
is strike talk at Indianapolis, IL may
he thwarted by a joint conference o.
mine union heads and operators,
which seems certain to follow closely
on the Indianapolis union meeting
Even Lewis Is Doubtful.
Even John L. Lewis, president OF
the mine union, Processes not 10
know which way the wind VIII dow
An official of the union VIII De IN
Washington next week, and by that
time something may be known oL the
attitude of the miners.
Government officials, who are watch
ing the situation closely say that even
if there is a strike in the union fields
it will come at a time when the
country is well fortified with heavy
stocks of bituminous coal-near the
end of the big consumption period
and that in any event West virginia
coal can go far toward supplying the
needs of the Nation. West Virginia
is one of the strongholds of the non
union miners, Notwithstanding at
tempts extending over many years
to intrench the unions in the coal
fields of the State.
In the meantime Congress has be-
fore it legislation which would set
I'D within an existing Government
agency a permanent fact-fnding body
to report to the President on the state
of coal stocks and production. This
legislation would also empower the
Interstate Commerce Commission, In
time of emergency, to give priority
to coal cars to points where coal is
badly needed.
The union coal fields are now oper-
ating under the So-called JdcKSOnVllle
agreement of 1923, lasting for three
years, arranged at a conference at
Jacksonville, Fla. which Secretary
Hoover attended as Government
observer.
Expires March 81.
This agreement expires on March 81,
the end of the coal year and set up
wage scales, which were an increase
over the scales in effect the previous
years.
The heavy production in West Vir
ginia of coal for export, demanded by
Great Britain because of the Brit
ish mine strike, has jumped West
Virginia production far above the
normal rate With the increased pro-
duction has come a rise in the non.
union wage levels, until today they
are nearly at the Jacksonville scale
and in some cases higher.
Lacking definite word as to which
way the mine unions will stand on a
strike vote for higher wages and con-
tinuation of the check-off, the best
that can be done, according to Gov
eminent officials, is to wait until the
workers convention. Then if strike
talk persists there will still be two
months in which to bring about an
agreement.