Evening star., 1943-06-23
Miners Resume
Work;Fu|| Shifts
- Ht
Tomorrow Seen
Operators and Others
Protest Failure to
Settle Contract Issue
BY the Associated Press.

captive mines signaled the end
today of the Nations third gen.
eral wartime coal strike, with in
dlcationS pointing to virtually
full-Scale production tomorrow.
Responding to instructions from
UNIV President John L. Lewis and
his Policy Committee, the men who
dig coal for the big steel companies
led off the return to Work-a return
ordered only until October 81 and
conditional on continued Govern
ment operation of the mines.
Those conditions led operators and
others to protest that the main issue
"a new contract embracing portal-
to-portal pay-Was merely post
poned, not settled
so West Virginia Mines Producing.
An unofficial survey in West Vir-
glnla showed about so mines, in
Guiding commercials, were produc-
ing some coal, and that tonight there
might be crews in as many as 200
OF the 800 operations in that State.
Among them were the Consolidation
Coal Co. and Industrial Collieries
Co., the latter a Bethlehem Steel
subsidiary, which reported about 3,
per cent operation in their Northern
West Virginia mines.
The Pittsburgh Coal Co. second
largest commercial producer. an
nounced ITO of its several thousand
miners returned to two Pennsvl-
Vanla pits, Partial crews showed up
at other mines, but operations we're
far from normal.
Despite some expressions from
union leaders of dissatisfaction with
the settlement. an early check indi-
Gated no move to disregard the
Policy Committees order.
Resumed production for the steel
plants-although on reduced
scale-removed the immediate threat
TO war poductlon and led steel COM
pany officials to cancel plans for
further curtailment of opera atoms.
In addition to specifying that the
! Government must not restore direc-
ton of the mines to their owners,
the unions back TO work order car
rled broad indication that the
I
obtain the underground travel pay
denied them by the WLB.
I The back-to-work order came un-
expectedly last night. after the strike
problem had been dropped on the
White House doorstep by the War
Labor Board.
Long Fight in Prospect.
Operators and others protested
that the newest Lewis move simply
postpones the showdown that ulti-
mately must come, and a prolonged
fight is in prospect.
A statement issued in behalf OF
! the Appalachian operators declared
the action of the UNIV Policy Com
mlttee lis in direct viola ton" of the
| War Labor Boards directive Of
| June 18.
! If the President" said the oper-
atorS, referring to Mr.. Roosevelt,
/ permits the mines to be operated
| under the terms laid down by John
| L. Lewis, the main issue goes un-
/ solved. Nothing is settled The pres
ent strike is merely postponed. The
main question now is. can Mr. Lewis
continue to defy the sole agency
designated by the United States
/ Government to make final deter
mlnatlonS in labor disputes"
/ The June l8 directive called on
the miners and operators to nego-
tlate a new contract on the basic
terms of the old one which expired
March 81. 1t was issued after the
board had rejected the miners de-
mandS for 81 a day increase. and
said collateral demand for under
| ground pay was subject TO court de-
| termination.
Roosevelt Action Urged.
The present strike followed, and
! late yesterday Chairman William H.
/ Davis OF the War Labor Board, wrote
President Roosevelt urging that all
the power of the Government be
| invoked to force compliance with the
boards directive The letter said the
operators were willing to agree.
The immediate reaction of Chair
man Davis to the miners decision
last night was expressed in these
words:
L take Mr.. Lewis statement to
mean that the production of coal
Will be resumed under the conditions
ordered by the War Labor Board,
and l think that's all the country
is interested in. 1t appears that the
new deadllne is Halloween. when
pumpkins frighten children"
Whether this victory claim was
shared by majority of the board
was uncertain. Technically. Mr..
Lewis was still in defiance of the
board, even though the miners go
back to work under the terms of the
infamous yellow-dog contract" as
Mr.. Lewis denounced it in refusing
to sign.
1t was possible the WLB might
yet protest to the President against
Mr.. Lewis condition that the Gov
ernment must retain direction of
the mines which were taken over
May l.
During the day Fuel Administra-
tor Ickes suspended an order freez-
ing soft coal in transit on the Ma
tlonS railroads The freeze. oriei-
nally ordered April 80 and reinstated
last Monday, was intended to insure
that coal could be channeled into
essential war plants instead of going
to nCn-esSential users.
Temporary controls made effective
yesterday over distribution of hard
coal will remain in effect, however,
and consideration will continue on
permanent program to assure fair
distribution" of anthracite, officials
said
Mr.. Ickes Office reported that the
Federal mine managers will con-
tlnue to check off union dues and
assessments to the UNIV as they
have in the past. Increased vacation
pay allowances and remission Of
charges for furnishing and MAIN
tanning tools and equipment-to-.
| gether estimated unofficially to be
(See COAL. Page A-20)