Evening star., 1943-05-20
5000 Miners Strike
As Wa|kouts Spread
Through Three States
IA Properties Closed;
Lewis Moves to Send
Men Back Into Shafts

Men Back Into Shafts
By the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH, May 20.-Strikes
OF soft coal miners protesting Their
lack OF a working contract spread in
Pennsylvania and broke out in Ohio
and Kentucky today, leaving more
than 5000 men idle and IA mines
closed.
Eleven pits were closed in United
Mine Workers district 2 Central
Pennsylvania, which comprises
$4,000 miners
James Mark. district president OF
the United Mine Workers, hurried
home to Johnstown from New York
today bearing orders from UNIV
President John L. Lewis that 1000
striking soft coal diggers in that
area must return to their jobs.
Ickes Not Worried.
In Washington Secretary Ickes
boss of the Government-ope
mines. said that scattered walkouts
this week had cut the Nations coal
production less than l per cent
and were nothing serious"
Secretary Ickes told a press con-
ference he had done nothing to get
the men back to work, because II
think they the UNIV membership
are going to keep their word Ito con-
tinue work throughout this month
under truce agreement)-theya al
ways have"
Meanwhile. the strikes spread to
the Pittsburgh area in UNIV dis
trict 5 with the closing of a mine
employing $50.
The miners struck in protest
against the War Labor Boards re-
tention of their contract negotia-
tions. The walkouts violated the
unions agreement to continue work
ing until May 81.
Night shifts of the Lucerne Wa
Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Co.
refused to 60 to work Approx
mately 1000 men are employed in
these pits, about 800 on the night
shifts.
Claim Double Cross.
We've been given the double
cross by Secretary Ickes and the
War Labor Board" the R. & P
strikers asserted.
A mass meeting of 900 workers at
the Revloc mine of the Monoe Coal
Co. voted to return to work today.
Approximately 1000 workers quit
earlier this week at three mines near
Nanty Clio. Union leaders blamed
local grievances as much as the
controversy over new contract for
work stoppages at the Tucker No Is
mine at Barnesboro, employing 500;
the Maryland shaft at St. Michaels
of the BerwindWhite Coal Co., en-
ploying $50 and the Twin Rocks
mine of the Big Bend Coal Co., en-
ploying $50.
Daily production Of more than
10000 tons was halted by the walk
outs. In which the miners expressed
general dissatisfaction with the
progress of negotiations.
In Harlan County, Ky 300 miners
at the Creech Coal Co. pit at Twila
quit work.
George Ward. secretary of the
Harlan County Coal Operators AS
sociation. said the stoppage was at
tributed by the miners to disSatisfac-
tion over the slowness of negotia-
tions for new wage contract.
Mr.. Ward said the men reported
for work at the pit this morning,
then voted not to work.
Fear Further Spread.
At St. Clairsvllle, Ohio, RAYMOND
Wilhelm reported the big Willow
Grove mine had been closed by a
work stoppage of United Mine
Workers unionists protesting they
had no new contract, and at Colum-
bus a UNIV spokesman said he
feared miners IN other pits might
60 out.
Neither the midnight nor 8 am.
shifts reported for work Mr. Wilhelm
said. and a committee of miners told
him they could not work until a new
contract was signed. The mine en-
ploys TOO men.
The Willow Grove mine owned
and operated by the NJ A. Hanna
Co. OF Cleveland. produces about
$500 tons day and is one of the
largest in the company's Ohio
fields. The company made no COM
ment on the Walkout.
Adolph Pacifico. vice president of
the UMW's District 6. said at Colum-
bus: 1T has reached a stage where
men are so disguised that they will
be pretty hard to be made to con-
tinue working. They are talking
about going out in other mines"
Mr.. Pacifico directs the UMW's
affairs in the big East Ohio and West
Virginia panhandle district.
Miners Sick and Tired.
The mine workers are sick and
tired of being made political foot
ball between the administration and
Chairman Davis of the War Labor
Board" he said.
Mr.. Wilhelm sale he tried to argue
with the committee that told him
the miners were quitting. pointing
out that Mr.. Lewis had extended a
contract truce to the end of the
month.
We are running this local Mr..
Wilhelm quoted the men as replying
The committee members. Joe
Kalis, Charles Wise and Joe Vechan-
zone, were not available at once for
comment.
Fatal Shooting Referred