Evening star., 1943-01-13
Threat 10 Seize
Mines Brings
Peace Move
Thousands of Strikers
Consider Truce as
WLB Plans Action

By the Associated Press.
WILKES-BARRE, Pa, Jan. 13.
Thousands of striking miners
in the Pennsylvania anthracite
fields were called into mass meet
ings today to consider a possible
truce after the War Labor Board
limited it may ask President
Roosevelt to seize all strike
bound collieries and end "this
threat" to the prosecution Of the
war.
Strike leaders received the Labor
Board statement-its second in two
days-at meeting last night and
Immediately acted to convene their
local unions, affiliates of the United
Mine Workers, today to get the re-
action" and consider peaceful ne
gotiations.
The WLB, in kilograms to John L..
Lewis, UNIV president, and heads
OF five companies, declared that
anthracite coal stockpiles are at
criticallylow level endangering the
health of our people and the prose-
cution of the war" and added:
To Exercise "AlI Powers"
unless this threat to the safety
Of our Nation is Immediately term
mated, the board will exercise all
powers within its Jurisdiction to full
fill its obligation to the country"
Spokesman for the 10000 partici-
pating in the 15-day-old wildcat
strike took this statement to be a
strong indication that the board, if
necessary, would recommend that
Mr.. Roosevelt seize the Is strike
bound collieries in the name of the
Government.
The boards message was read to
the strike leaders from a news dis
patch.
Meanwhile three local unions at
nearby Olyphant, Pa, appealed to
Mr.. Roosevelt to intervene, in tele-
grams dispatched last night, but at
the same time voted to remain on
strike.
The strikers demand a S2-a-day
bonus over wages estimated unoffi-
cially to average $3.50 a day. They
also are protesting against an in
crease in union dues from 81 to
$l.5O. The boost was voted at
UNIV convention last October. The
strikers. who opposed the increase
then, say that delegates from BIZ
luminous coal fields, who favored
it, had an unfair balance of power.
The wage dispute was certified to
the War Labor Board yesterday by
Secretary of Labor Perkins. Earlier,
the WLB had appealed directly to
the strikers. to return.
The same appeal has been made
by Solid Fuels Co-ordinator Ickes,
the Senate committee investigating
the war program, the industry's
governing committee of twelve,
made up of six operators and six
UNIV representatives. and many
UNIV leaders themselves. The
UNIV consistently has condemned
the strike since it began Decem-
Der 80.
In many sections of the oil
ratloned East, the walkout has Gre
ated the worst coal shortage since
the World War. Production has
been reduced by about 10000 tons
day.
One anti-strike leader, Michael
Kosik, president of UMW's district
1, told the strike organizers last
night after the WLB statement was
read that now I'm afraid the mat
ter is out of our hands"
1T is now in the Governments
hands," Mr.. Kosik said. What the
Government wants to know now is
what are we going to do, go back
to work or not?"
Dissatisfaction among the strikers
with UNIV leadership was revealed
further at the meeting in statements
from Hugh Cavanaugh and Phil
Cheney, strike leaders.
Let John L. Lewis call a meeting
OF the International Executive Board
and take the 50-cent increase off
and we'll go back to work." Mr..
Cavanaugh said.
why can't Lewis be big enough
to drop the increase?" Mr.. Cheney
added
Eight anthracite producing COM
panies issued a statement in New
York today, :, reviewing the situation
and concluding:
Notwithstanding this serious sit
uation decreased coal production)
and appeals from the Government,
resolutions have been voted by local
unions to the effect that unless a
s2-a-day increase in wages is grant,
ed by the operators beginning jan
uary Is, there will be a general
strike.
Coal companies are abiding by
their contract with the United Mine
Workers. Both the coal companies
and the miners are subject to Gov
ernment rules and regulations on
wages.
These strikes and threatened
strikes are in direct violation of the
union contract and union and Gov
eminent understanding-and COM
pletely contrary to American sense
of fair play and patriotism.
I'm the face of the above facts,
we ask-can strike at this time be
justified?"