Evening star., 1939-04-20

inous coal fields haze been dead
locked str ,Deeks in negotiations
for neU contract. Stalemate
hinges on union demands for
closed shop and elimination of
penalty clauses. Old contract
expired April I and since that
time approximately $50, 900 miners
haze been idle.
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 20.-A COM
plete shutdown of the Nations soft
coal mines on May S, unless q new
contract is signed before that date,
has been ordered by the United Mine
Workers.
Phillip Murray, q. M. w. A. vice
president, announced the necessary
15-day notice ending special agree
ments outside the Appalachian area
had been given as of yesterday.
The order, climaxing a six-weeks'
deadlock in negotiations between the
union and operators for the eight
State Appalachian area, threatened
to pull 125 900 men from bituminous
workings in 13 States. Approx
mately $50, 900 have been idle in the
Appalachian region and in Alabama
since the old two-year contract died
April !.
c. I. o. Chairman John L. Lewis,
who heads the mine workers, also
has said he would call out 100 900
anthracite miners, If necessary to
force an agreement. This would
leave 585 900 miners idle and in
crease the growing menace Of q ma
tional coal shortage.
Mr.. Lewis and other union leaders
began conferring two days ago with
hard coal operators for a new con-
tract to replace the three-year an
thracite industry agreement which
expires April 30.
Orders Notice to Operators.
His action in the bituminous dis
pute came In the form of an order
to district leaders in the 13 outlying
States to give operators the Is days
notice required before closing the
mines.
The contract for the Appalachian
States, where 10 per cent of the soft
coal Is mined, Is basic for the indus
try. Since April / bituminous miners
In the non-Appalachian States have
worked under temporary agreements
pending the outcome Of negotiations
| IA. H
The order affected miners IN In
diana. Illinois, Iowa, Wyoming.
Montana, Washington, Colorado,
New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma,
Kansas, Missouri and Western
Kentucky.
| A demand by the union for the
elimination of penalty clauses fining
the union 81 to 50 for members in
volved in illegal strikes has dead
locked the Negotiating Subcommit-
tee OF four operators and four U.
M. w. officials.
Hopeful Of an early end to the
stalemate, John r. Steelman, direc-
tor OF the United States Concili-
alton Service, said after a confer
ence with the subcommittee yes
terday that its members were mot
as far apart as they think they are" :"
Generally both sides seem to
want the same thing and the ques-
ton seems to be how to get it," he
said. Both want a contract, one
that will work and guarantee se-
curity and production"
Will Report to Miss Perkins,
Mr.. Steelman said he would report
to Secretary of Labor Perkins in
Washington, leaving another Fed
eral labor conciliator, James r.
Dewey, here as observer. The White
House, replying to plea last week
by Mayor La Guardia for presi-
dental Intervention, said it would
intervene only as a last resort.
Gripping industrial effects of the
shutdown in the Appalachian area
became more apparent, although no
widespread shortage has developed.
Ofhcials of the Association Of
American Railroads estimated 1000
railroad men on coal-carrying lines
were idle and that the carriers
were losing $l1,000,O 900 a week in
gross revenue.
The Baltimore & Ohio reported
the shutdown was costing it 100000
a day in freight revenue and that,
with only six or seven day coal
supply on hand, it soon would have
to curtail operations to keep es-
sential food shipments moving.
Major steel companies were be-
lieved to have fuel reserves for sew
eral weeks. In Pittsburgh, however,
Carnegie Illinois banked five blast
furnaces, leaving 7 Of Is in the dis
trict going.