Evening star., 1943-11-05
Expected
To Ratify Raise
OF Miners Today
Thousands Remain
Away From Pits
Pending Decision
By the Associated Press.


The War Labor Board today
continued to Wrestle, without a
decision, over the coal mine wage
agreement worked out between
John L. Lewis and Fuel Admins
traitor Ickes as spotty production
was resumed in the fields in
expectation of WLB approval.
The board failed during a morn
ing session to bring out ruling on
the proposed contract between the
Government and the United Mine
Workers, providing for earnings in
creases and designed to end the re-
cent general walkoutS. But when a
recess for lunch was taken, an off,
clal spokesman said vote was ex-
pected during the afternoon.
The reports were that WLB was
ready to assent to the agreement.
The board was ready to ballot late
yesterday, but adjourned overnight
when question arose over the prac-
tical application of the hourly rates
10 men who are paid by the ton or
other pieceWork basis.
The agreement would give btu
mlnous miners $3.50 for an 81. hour
day, including As minutes for under
ground travel time. The anthracite
wage scale is similar, except that the
working day is IL hours and there is
no provision for travel time.
1t was understood the vote prob
ably would have been II for ap-
proval, with one public member dis
sentlng. The board members Gus
tomarlly vote by blocs. The indus
try, labor and public groups each
nave four votes and a split within
any group is unusual. If industry
members should decide to vote no"
the wage plan would be inperiled
because not even three public mem
Der votes are committed definitely to
approval.
Disapproval probably would pre-
clpltate another crisis, while assent
probably would write fms to the
exciting chapters of the l943 coal
story. The questions of higher
prices and restoration of the mines
to their private owners still remain
to be worked out.
| Government officials estimated
that production was 10000, 900 tons
benlnd schedule this year, and this
might go TO 100000 tons. Most
mines will not reach normal pro-
duction until next week.
Full Production by Monday.
In some outlying places the back
to-work instructions of the UNIV
leadership were slow TO arrive. In
other cases the local unions planned
meetings first to take votes. There
seemed little doubt, however, that
nearly all the men would be back
by Monday unless unfavorable ac-
ton of the wage scale upsets the
delicate situation.
In the mine fields the station
was:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS H.
500 soft coal miners were COM
mltted to work today, leaving lO5, 1000
still idle. Little more than 1000
anthracite miners were on the lob
and most of the 10000 others are
expected to return Monday.
Partial operations were reported
in the soft coal captive" pits of
Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp, Beth
lehem Steel, Republic and United
States Steel. J. & l.. said 80 per cent
/ OF the 2840 miners in its four pits
reported, and the same percentage
was back in Weirton Steels mine.
Some Locals to Meet.
A canvass of operators revealed
that 100 per cent production is not
expected to begin in the areas 1920
bituminous coal mines before Mon
day. Some UNIV locals have not
scheduled meetings until tomorrow
or Sunday to take back-to-work
votes.
Alabama-A full -fedged back-to-
work movement was under way.
Operators of the 18 big industrial
mines III the State reported crews
ranging from Is to so per cent of
normal at IS shafts. These l8
mines employ approximately half of
the States $4,000 union miners.
West Virginia - Between 10000
and 10000 of 10000 striking miners
joined the slow return to work, but
coal men estimated production
would not exceed 25 per cent of daily
capacity, pointing out that many of
those returning are slate pickers,
track repairmen and the like. The
(Ceo rNAI pooo A oI