Evening star., 1941-11-03
Conference 10 Settle
Coal Mine Dispute
Gets Under Way
Mediation Bourd Meets
With John l. Lewis and
Company Officials
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Members of the Defense Mediation
Board opened conferences today to
settle what they regard as their most
crucial case-the union shop dispute
between John L. Lewis c. I. o.
United Mine Workers and the cap
tive coal mines of seven States.
Nine of the II voting board men,
bers were at the conference table
flanking Board Chairman William
H. Davis. They agreed to conduct
continuous mediation and deliver a
recommendation of the full board.
in accordance with q request, OF
President Roosevelt" ''"7"
The board members dropped
number of lesser cases to devote four
hours daily to the captive mine
question. Alternates will carry on
the boards other work in the mean,
time. Under a truce arranged last
week. Mr.. Lewis set new strike
deadline November IS. -.
The captive mines are owned
principally by the large steel COM
panies. The union shop, as the
term is understood by the companies
and the U M. w., would require
all the Miners to below to the union.
50 Representatives Present.
About so representatives OF the
coal and steel industries and the
union were present as the hearing
opened. Among them were Mr..
Lewis, maintaining silence, and
some of the most noted names In
industry: Benjamin F. Fairless,
president, and Irving S. Olds, chair
man, of United States Steel Corp;
Eugene Grace. president of the
Bethlehem Steel Corp; Ernest T.
Weir, chairman of the Weirton Steel
Corp; R. J. Wysor, president Of the
Republic Steel Corp. and F. B. HUI
nagel, chairman of the Crucible
Steel Co.
A board spokesman said, as the
doors closed on the conferees, that
Mr.. Davis first adjuration to them
undoubtedly was to maintain strict
silence on the course of the media
ton, as is the boards policy in all
cases.
Meanwhile, the National Labor
Relations Board. seeking to avert
another threat to steel operations,
called a hearing today at Pittsburgh
on a petition by So riverboat oper-
ators who ask that A. F. LIS Masters,
Mates and Pilots Association be
designated their bargaining agent
with Carnegie Illinois Steel Corp.
Walked Out Friday Night.
The boat men walked out last
Friday night, tying up IL towboats
which tug $4,000 tons of coal daily
in barges from mines in Fayette
County, Pa, down the Monongahela
River to the mills at Pittsburgh.
In addition to union recognition
they ask changes in working hours
and days of plus 10 per cent in
crease in undisclosed wage rates.
At three big aircraft plants on the
West Coast 300 welders voted to
strike at midnight tomorrow unless
the Labor Board authorizes a bar
gaining election. These workers
want to be represented by the
United Aircraft Welders of Ameri-
ca, which claims to have as mem
bers 80 per cent Of $50 welders in
the three plants. A. F. LIS Inter-
national Association of Machinists
now represents the welders.
The plants are those Of the Lock-
heed Aircraft Corp. and its subsid-
<iary, Vega Airplane Co.. both Of
Burbank. Calf, and the Consoli-
dated Aircraft Corp. of San Diego.
The companies hold contracts from
the Army, Navy and Britain's r..
A. r.
Threat of a work stoppage at Bell
Aircraft Corps two plants in Buf-
falo, N. T., was deferred when G. 1.
O.s United Automobile Workers
aviation division voted to withhold
strike action until the Defense Me-
diation Board had q chance to con-