, 1935-01-01
WASHINGTON
BY George Durno

AlOuStllOlQcAS VIII DuIu OlluIllIlOuS
coal from ule Western Pennsyl-
vania field. take time enough Of!
from your celebration to look in the
cellar and see whether YOU have
sufficient fuel TO run you through
the winter.
Soft coal will always be available
from other sources but there is a
grand prospect that western Penn
~sylvania is about to be shut down
by a strike.
Officials of the United Mine
Workers Of America have almost
reached the conclusion that opera
tors IN western Pennsylvania are
chlSeling against NRA code pro-
visions 10 a point where wages and
hours of the miners will soon be en-
dangered.
Unless conditions are remedied
President John l.. Lewis may well
call a strike in this field TO en-
force code compliance. II there Is
a walk-out 1t will be originally al
the expense or individual companies
whom the United Mine Workers
are convinced are cutting corners.
The history Of such strikes is that
they soon become general in the
whole field affected. and spread TO
the mines Of suspected operators in
other districts.
Ircspable-President Lewis. of the
Mine Workers. already has put NRA
Division Administrator Wayne Ellis
on notice. In a hitherto unpublish-
ed letter, the union leader asserted:
you are aware that the minimum
price structure Of the bituminous
coal industry has suffered practl-
cal collapse throughout wide min
ing areas. Large groups of produc-
ers are most flagrent in their stud
led violations of the trade practices
and price regulations Of the Btu
minous Coal Code i.
1T is incontestable that the de-
liberate wrecking Of the approved
price structure in Jeopardy. The
United Mine Workers Of America
do not propose TO endure such
jeopardy resulting from a breach OF
faith between the coal operators and
the National Recovery Administers
ton.
THE security Of the wages and
living standards Of the men in the
btturinous mining industry can
not be sacrificed to any such pol
lev OF monumental stupidity as Is
now being followed by the coal oper-
ators who. unaided. seem incapable
OF preventing their WI commercial
destruction"
Western PENNSYLVANIA has a code
authority but II Is composed OF
more than 20 men. each busy in his
own right. Its lack Of effective
strength is in sharp contrast TO the
abilities OF Lewis-rated the best
informed labor man Of our day.
Munitions-FDR and Senator Nye
had a courteous talk after Christ
mas. They didn't agree. but they
didn't quarrel. Nye Is accused OF
playing politics with the munitions
inquiry, but he answers that by cit
ing democratic colleagues who sup
port his plans for further probes
into steel. aviation and financia.
deals affecting munitions.
Norman II. Davis Is said to have
urged the administration to ShuSh.
shush the munitions investigation
II Stirs up a hornets nest in Eu-
rope. where similar investigation!
are threatened. France can't AFFORD
to have the limelight turned on In
ternational munitions rings. A Bri-
fish inquiry is probable.
The administration doesn't wan'
legislation that would hamstrins
the private munitions industry. II
Is essential to military and nava
defense.
Nippon--Dern clever. these Japa-
neSe.
Mexican cotton growers in south
ern California received checks FOL
curtailing production and Their
planted more than $4,000 acres in
Lower California and Sonora un.
der contract with JaDanese cotton
buyers. The JapS advanced funds
for planting cotton and will take the
entire crop al prices much lover
than the American basis.
Japanese arc financing cotton.
growing in Brazil and Abyssinis
on a large scale. This years output
Of Brazilian cotton SURPRISED the de-
partment Of agriculture eStima'
tors.
II won't be long before Japan !;
independent of American cottor
imports. Some people who DEM
rehementlv they are Jinogists think
This brings Der Tag" just so much
nearer.
SIS Rents-BoSS Ickes OF Public
Works regards the sl50.Ooo.0oo III
already has allotted for slum clear
anoe as just a drop in the bucket
The Roosevelt cabinet aide is
chock-full Of confidence that hi
complete national program will be.
come law at the congressional ses-
sion just about to convene.
This means construction Of park
nd-playground apartments in vir'
tually all cities at a total cost run
ming into many hundreds Of mil
lions. Rooms will rent for IS
month. Thirty per cent Of the con-
struction cost will be borne By the
government without reimburse
ment. The balance. IL all goes well
eventually will be paid out Of
rents.
Real estate men generally are
skeptical. They don't see how II car
be done. President Roosevelt has
been convinced 1t can be because
the government can borrow money
at low rates. Ickes says social need
Is the Justification"
nf rrrrSe q Inf NJ real estate mpr