Evening star., 1943-04-29

supporting such an accusation, and
said the war effort required an i'm
mediate return to work. But more
walkouts were reported In the wake
of her words.
In this case Mr.. Lewis is asking
that the new Appalachian contract
include a 50 daily wage increase,
$8-a-day basic wage, underground
travel pay and unionization of minor
bosses. During long negotiations in
New York prior to certification of
the case to the WLB the operators
contended that granting such in
creaseS would violate the Little
Steel" formula, since two years ago
the miners received an increase ex-
ceeding the formulas allowed per-
centage.
The contract covers most soft coal
operations in six States, but is used
as basis for wage agreements in
several other States.
WLB's Statement.
In sending the case to the White
| House the War Labor Board said in
a statement:
THE NWLB unanimously and
deeply believes that the people on
the home front in the United States
are filled with calm but grim de-
termination to exert their very ut
most efforts for maximum produc-
ton of those war materials which
are necessary to conserve the lives
and to crown with success the war
| efforts OF their sons mad brothers
who are at the fighting front.
For the peaceful determination
of labor disputes without interrupt
ton OF production a procedure has
been established by the lawfully
constituted agencies of the Gov
eminent under the executive orders
OF the President of the United States
and Commander in Chief.
THE board firmly believes that to
maintain those procedures against
attack from any source is essential
to the winning of the war; that this
particular dispute can and must be
handled like any other dispute
under these established procedures
1t is the unanimous conviction of
the board that any departure from
these procedures in this particular
case would destroy the entire plan
for the peaceful settlement of labor
disputes during the war"
Mr.. Lewis, who was in New York
when the boards action was an
nounced, told reporters:
L have no comment to make at
this time at all. will see the press
tomorrow morning."
Illinois Stoppage Likely.
In another development, Ray Ed
mundson, president of the United
Mine Workers Illinois district, de-
clared last night in New York that
no UNIV member would step on
Illinois mine property after mid
night Friday unless the operators
accepted UNIV demands.
Mr.. Edmundson said he was so
advising George F. Campbell, presi-
dent of the Illinois Coal Operators
Association, in reply to a telegram
in which Mr. Campbell asked the
UNIV district to meet his group.
independent of any negotiations in
the East, to work out a contract
and thus keep the Illinois mines
running after the deadline.
The Illinois district, outside the
Appalachian area, has not attended
the New York negotiations between
the UNIV and Northern and South
ern Appalachian bituminous opera
tors since the wage parleys began
in 1888.
Mr.. Edmundson said that in the
past, the Illinois operators gen.
orally accepted any agreement
reached here as basis for their
own agreement with the union. de-
spite their absence from the con-
ferences.
Hard Coal Talks Resumed.
Anthracite operators and repre-
sentatives of the UNIV were to re-
sumo negotiations at 10 am. TODAY
in New York still faced with the
problem of either reaching an agree
ment or extending the current con-
tract also due to expire tomorrow
at midnight.
Extension of the contract would
enable the operators and the union
to continue wage negotiations.
Mr.. Kennedy, when asked yester-
day if failure to reach an agreement
would mean work stoppage in
Pennsylvania hard coal fields,
said:
"In the absence of an anthracite
contract the answer is obvious"