Evening star., 1943-06-10
Lewis Attacks
Penalty Move
As'Tyranny'
Some Union Chiefs
Predict Men Will
BuIk at Order

BY the Associated Press.
John L. Lewis denounced to-
day as another step to political
tyranny in America" the an
nouncement by Secretary Ickes
that coal miners would be fined
81 day for their June is walk
out.
Even before the United Mine
Workers leader made this state
ment, West Virginia union Official
said of the fines:
This means another walkout."
Mr.. Lewis comment.
An unWarranted, illegal act. An
act which takes nearly $3OOO.OOO
worth of food from the fingers and
mouths of children of the mining
camps-a brutal application OF
economic sanctions against free
citizens. Another step toward poll
tical tyrrany in America"
Can't Understand Move.
A brief introduction to the state
ment said that The wage agree
ment having expired, along with sew
eral extensions, the United Mine
Workers cannot understand how
fines can be levied under the pro-
visions of all expired contract"
The West Virginia mine official.
in district 81 at Fairmont, declined
the use of his name. He said the
miners would not stand for" the
fines.
A UNIV spokesman said there was
no penalty clause in the anthracite
contract such as that which Ickes
cited in imposing the S1-a- day fine.
Most miners are in the soft coal
fields.
In another development the mine
workers were disclosed to have won
over Central Pennsylvania operators
TO daily pay raise of s13O.
Secretary Ickes, as Federal boss of
the mines. told of the fning and
SAID he had warned the miners of
this before they struck.
Cites Lack of Contract. =
William Hargest. secretary-treas-
urer of UNIV District 5 at Pitts
burgh. said the plan to fine the
miners was pretty rotten"
There was no contract and no
agreement said Mr.. largest. What
were we working under? We went
back to work at Mr.. Ickes' request.
Even the operators were sick and
tired of the delay over the contract.
flnlng the miners certainly will not
help the situation"
AT Harlan, KY, where about 1850
miners still are idle and are waiting
Tor wage contract to be signed" a
United Mine Workers representative.
who would not be quoted bv name
SAID the fine will just inf1ame the
men and make them walk out again"
At Beckley, w. Va, President
George j. Titler of District % ex-
pressed the belief that the miners
won't like it. no one likes to be
| f1ned." but did not make any pre-
dlctlon on what might occur in view
OF Mr.. 1ckes order.
A union spokesman in the Will
hanson field, who also withheld use
Oh his name, asserted that the Ickes
} announcement would create a ter
rlflc disturbance" in that area. The
Williamson district fine is 50 a day.
S1.3O Pay Raise.
Charles O'Neill, spokesman for
the Central Pennsylvania operators
announced to the War Labor Board
that his group had agreed on the
sl.3O figure for settling the portal
to-portal pay demand of the miners.
Mr.. Lewis had sought 50. The as
soclatlon covers mines with about
$1,000 men in all.
Mr.. ONeill's organization with
drew from the joint wage conference
yesterday but attended the WLB
hearing today to announce his
agreement with Mr.. Lewis. The
other Appalachian operators report
ed the failure of their negotiations
with the miners. The UNIV was not
represented at the hearing.
Seeks Only Peace.
Mr.. O'Neill told the board his OBJ
jective was to restore peace.
L am not interested" said Mr.
O'Neill. lin waiting till kingdom
come to see what the Supreme Court
said about (portal-to- portal pay
and accumulating liability thai
will strangle the industry"
He said travel time was calclr-
(see COAL, Page 2-XJ