Evening star., 1935-06-29
COAL STRIKE DUE
AS PARLEY FAILS
Only President Can Stop
WaIkOut NOW-MinerS
Offer Maintenance.

BY the Associated Press.
Only presidential intervention can
stop a soft coal strike Monday
Negotiations on new wage and hour
contracts for the vast Appalachian
fields collapsed this morning and the
Joint wage conference recessed sub
ject to the call of the chairman.
Before taking this action the oper-
ators accepted the United Mine Work
ers offer to supply maintenance men
during the strike, set for Sunday mid
night
So far President Roosevelt has not
asked either John l.. Lewis. president
of the mine workers, or the opera
tors to continue the present wages
and hours. Mr.. Roosevelt expressed
hope at his semi-weekly press con-
ference yesterday that an extension
could be arranged.
Officers Lay Strike Plans.
Lewis may ask that any wage in
creaSes granted later be made retro
active in the event another extension
is made After the conference re-
ceSsed, he went Irto huddle with
other international officers Of the
union and district presidents 20 dis
cuss strike plans.
The wage negotiations were closely
linked with the tate of the Guftev Goa
Stabilization bill. now before way:
and means subcommittee. Hearing:
on this measure 10 set up little N
r. A." for the titLminous industry
were completed yesterday.
The bill is on President Roosevelt:
must" list of legislation Some oper-
ators feel that its enactment is Deces.
sary before they can commit them
selves to definite wages and hours fol
the next nine months.
Two Extensions Already.
Present wages and hours have beer
extended twice-April and June 10
to give Congress time to act OH the
bills. Chairman Hill. Democrat. Of
Washington. of the Ways and Means
Subcommittee said yesterday he
thought it would be reported by the
middle of next week.
The wage conference session this
morning was brief Duncan Kennedy
chairman, reported that the negotiat-
ing committee has been unable to
agree on the questions of wages, hours
and differentials.
Motions for the conference to recess
and for the miners to furnish mainte-
nance men to keep the mines from
being flooded during a strike we're pro-
posed Immediately and adopted withir
five minutes.
The miners had asked a 30-hour
week instead of their present 35-houl
week and pay increases averaging
about 10 per cent. The operators Of
fered to renew present wages and
hours.
Other Strikes Waged.
Meanwhile. scattered violence marked
disorders in such varied industries a!
public utilities. lead and zinc mining
and potato farming.
Farmers of Virginia's Eastern
Shore. striking to raise the price oi
potatoes from SIPS to 81 a barrel
after patrolling roads to prevent ship
ment of potatoes. named flve-man
council with absolute power over al
potatoes, dug, stored or ready fol
shipment, in the area.
Overt acts, which, however. did not
reach the stage of personal injury
were instituted by rowing bands OF
determined potato pickets who pa
trolled roads in the counties to halt
shipments in attempt to raise potato
prices. The embargo was agreed tc
at a meeting here.
Kansas National Guardsmen poured
into the plant of the Eagle
Mining g. Smelling Co. at Galena
today to rescue % strike-besieged
tSee STRIKES, Page -