Evening star., 1943-03-27
Truman Committee
Left Guessing by
Lewis as 10 Strike
Mine Union Leader
Non-CommittoI on Stand;
Clashes Mark Heurino
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
John L. Lewis left the Senate
War Investigating Committee
guessing today as to whether his
United Mine Workers would re-
sort to a strike to enforce their
demands for $2-a-day wage in
crease.
Senator Ball, Republican, of Min
hesota, who tangled verbally with
Mr.. Lewis during yesterdays lengthy
and often heated hearing, said he
believed the UNIV leader showed
ne is determined to drive ahead and
get any advantage out of the war
crisis that he can"
Senator Ferguson, Republican. of
Mlchlgan, said he was greatly upset
and dlstressed' by Mr.. Lewis decla-
ration that he considered the gen.
eral antl-strike agreement of De-
cember, 194l, mot necessarily bind
ing
Mr.. Lewis himself had told the
committee, Il think it very unfair to
suggest that would take advantage
OF my Government in a crisis"
Hopes No Stoppage Necessary.
He added he had not said any,
thing about striking, and he hoped,
ike all Americans, that no work
stoppage would be necessary" Bur
he reiterated that the UNIV would
not be guilty of trespassing on a
mine corporations property" in the
absence of negotiated contract.
Mr.. Lewis explained that in ne
gotiating for contract to supplant
the current one, which expires
March 81. he faced dilemma. A
related, held that under the wage
hour law no contract was valid that
did not provide for paying the men
for all the time they spent inside
the mine. The existing contract
covers only time actually worked
Mr.. Lewis declared the mine op-
orators we're unwilling to pay for the
time spent in underground travel
ing between the mouth of the mine
and the actual working site. He
said, further that the War Labor
Board contended the men couldn't
get an increase because they already
had received more than the Is per
cent allowed under the Little Steel
formula
He claimed that the WLB itself
preached the 'no-strike" agreement
by adopting that formula instead
of permitting "a judicial determina-
ton Of the equities involved"
Ferguson Critical of Lewis.
Senator Ferguson was sharp in
his criticism of Mr.. Lewis stand to-
ward the no-strike agreement.
IF we are going to have men
make agreements, then break them
because they don't think they're ap-
plicable, how is the public to be pro-
tected?' he asked. Surely in war
time men can make agreements they
found so We won't even have to
think of legislative measures to en-
force them
Senator Brewster, Republican, of
Maine was one member of the COM
mlttee who was encouraged as a re"
suit Of Mr.. Lewis testimony and the
ensuing questioning. He said he be-
lleVed Mr.. Lewis attitude was much
more conciliatory than it was two
years ago at a similar hearing.
Senator Ball said he did not con-
L.
injustices in the coal labor Situa-
ton, but that he believed it was
absurd to talk about miners starving
on their current wages At the
hearing he termed Mr.. Lewis dec
laration that the miners weren't
getting enough to eat "demogogery,'
and Mr.. Lewis tossed the word right
back in your face. sir"
Senator Ball said today that no
one would suffer worse than the
miners, other wage earners and
farmers if prices really GOT out of
hand
You can't raise wages fast enough
10 keep up with the rising cost of
living he declared.
Rising Prices Cited.
When Mr.. Lewis contended yester-
Gay that between so and 70 per cent
of miners living budget goes for
food, Senator Ball figured that
would be approximately $8l a month
for food on the present wage scale
Mr.. Lewis said he would be glad to
submit the figures showing how food
Itnf1C pGUp in i,,i,o
Il think the cost of living is pretty
high here in Washington Senator
Ball replied but lot of Govern
ment workers are living on lot less
than S85 month for food"
How much coal do they have to
load?" was Mr.. Lewis reply.
Senator Ball said he agreed men
doing heavy work needed substan-
tial food.
Mr., Lewis contended the coal
miners diet was deficient to the
point of endangering productivity.
Urged by Senator Burton. Repub-
llcan, of Ohio, to help Congress
combat imitation, Mr. Lewis shouted:
Il wish you'd initiate the bellies of
these miners
Lewis Shouts and Pleads.
The hearing before the committee
headed by Senator Truman, Demo-
crat, of Missouri lasted more than
four hours. Mr.. Lewis. alternately
hot and cold and taking his cue from
his interrogators, at times shouted
his answers. and at others modulated
his voice to that of a gentle pleader
Mr.. Lewis chewed at an unlighted
cigar with which he gestured fire.
Quently.
He said the Government was pour
ing billions of dollars into the treas
uries of the United States Steel Corp
and other big industries while calling
on the worker to forego necessary
wages.
Until industry has been dealt
with in the same fashion as labor, I
shall continue to maintain that
hungry workers want enough to
eat-while United States Steel is
putting aside hundreds of millions