Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-08
Emergency Meeting
OF Anthracite Strike
Committee Called
Ickes Urges Every
Effort for EARLY
Work Resumption

WILKES-BARRE, Pa, Jan. B.
The Committee of Twelve. govern
ing body of the strike crippled anth-
racite industry, was called into
emergency session today in a move
to end a strike of $1,000 miners
which has closed Is major collieries
and caused a growing hard coal
shortage in the oil-rationed North
east.
Solid Fuels Co-ordinator Ickes had
urged the group to arrange
prompt resumption of work" His
appeal was telegraphed to both John
L. Lewis, president of the United
Mine Workers, and William Inglis,
president of the Glen Alden Coal
Co., the worlds largest anthracite
producer.
The committee, which negotiated
collective bargaining contracts and
fixes policies for the industry, is
made up of six union leaders and
six operators. 1t arranged to meet
in the Philadelphia Office of the
Philadelphia & Reading Coal g.
Iron Co.
Wage Increase Demanded.
The strikers demanded a $2-a-day
wage increase and cut of so cents
month in union dues.
Mr.. Lewis, reiterating union pleas
that the walkout end, said yester-
day pay increase probably could
not be granted at today's meeting
because of plans to increase the
mine work week from five to six
days and pay time and a half for
work on Saturdays.
The UNIV president did not men
ton the dues controversy, but
Thomas Kennedy, UNIV secretary
treasurer, had said earlier that it
would be presented to the unions
Executive Committee.
AS the strike entered its 10th day
Mark S. James, Pennsylvania secre-
tary OF commerce, reported great
shortage" of anthracite in New Eng
land and in the Philadelphia area,
both in the 17-State region in which
fuel oil rations were cut Is per cent
for non-residential buildings.
The strike began in one collier De-
cember 80 and spread rapidly. Two
more collieries in nearby Scranton
closed yesterday, bringing the total
to 13, as 2,700 miners walked out,
demanding that so cents of their
Sl50 dues be returned The dues
are deducted from pay checks under
the check-off system.
Strike spokesman charged that
bituminous coal miners had held an
unfair share of power at UNIV
convention last October, at which
the dues rise was voted over their
protests.
In Washington Mr.. Ickes asked
for immediate full production by the
Nations hard coal mines on a six
day week.
He said the action of the Office
of Price Administration in increas-
ing ceiling prices for hard coal had
cleared the way for the operators
and miners ito get busy and pro-
vide the Nation with every ton of
coal they possibly can produce"
Anthracite, Mr. Ickes said, is the
East Coast space-heating fuel
and its production helps to relieve
persons affected by the fuel oil
shortage.
Hits Six-Day-Week Delay.
Delay in instituting the six-day
week and the continued stoppage of
work at mines where strikes have
occurred would aggravate a situa-
ton that already is serious" Mr..
Ickes said The anthracite mines
have been behind in filling their Or
ders since last summer, and they
are still behind. Dealers are having
to spread their deliveries on a hand
to mouth basis, so that people can
have enough coal to keep warm.
IAN adequate hard coal supply is
essential to winning this war. We
need more anthracite, and we need
it right now. The public expects
every man in the entire industry,
including every operator and every
miner, to recognize that he is an
essential war worker, and to do
everything within his power to pro-
duce every ton that can be gotten
OUT
Mr.. Ickes said he had been told in
formally that the hard coal industry
was scheduled to start operations on
a six-day week beginning Saturday
and expressed the hope that this
action would be taken unanimously
throughout the industry.