Evening star., 1943-10-23
Five Big Rail Unions
Call for Strike Vote:
U.S.. S.MoySeizeM Mines
Officials of UNIV
Agree to Appeal
To Men to Return
BY the Associated Press.

by the AsSOCldLed Press.
Officials of the United Mine
Workers agreed today to make
an intensive effort to get striking
Alabama coal miners back to
work Monday after Chairman
William H. Davis of the War
Labor Board told them, that
unless production is resumed it
appeared the board would have
to refer the case to the White
House.
Referring the case to President
Roosevelt presumably would mean
the Government again would take
control Of the mines.
Mr.. Davis suggested, and union
| officials agreed, that kilograms be
sent to all local leaders urging them
to visit miners personally and ask
them to get back on the job.
Seek End of Strikes.
In an hour -and-a-half hearing
Thomas Kennedy, secretary-treas-
urer of the UNIV, and William
Mitch, Alabama district UNIV pres
ident, told the board they had been
leaving nothing undone in an ef-
fort to end the wildcat Walkout by
900 Alabama miners.
The board had called the union
officials to explain why the miners
had not obeyed a WLB order of last
Saturday to return to work. The
miners have been on strike since
October l3.
M. Mitch told the board that he
believed the surrender of Govern
nent control on October 13 was not
a major factor in the walkout. but
did believe the absence of contract
had influenced many miners to walk
out.
Mr.. Mitch went on to say that
there is now a shortage of miners
in Alabama, adding that it had been
difficult to keep the mines manned
because wages in other industries
were much higher.
Miners Liability Cited.
At one point Mr.. Davis remarked
that all the strikers were running
the risk of liability to civil suits in
view of the Antistrike Act which pro-
vides for strike votes under a fixed
procedure.
| Mr.. Davis also said that if the men
couldn't be returned to work by Mon
/ Ioy would TINEygy
was not able to control its members
He did not elaborate on this point,
but the board in the past had taken
the attitude that unions must con-
troll their members if they are to be
entitled to maintenance of member
ship clauses in working contracts.
| Mr.. Davis said the main point is
the sooner the Alabama miners &C
back to work the sooner they'll get a
contract"
Local grievances. explosions in
mines and cumulative factors were
given by Mr.. Kennedy as additional
reasons why the men have not gone
back to their jobs.
The UNIV officers told the board
they have been making every effort
to get the striking miners to re-
turn to work.
Mr.. Kennedy pointed out that John
L. Lewis, union president, had ap-
| pealed for return to work. Indi-
vidual locals also have voted to go
back to work, he said, and district
officers have followed up these ac-
tions with personal visits to many
men.
Mr.. Kennedy appeared as principal
spokesman for the UNIV in response
to the War Labor Boards order for
the mine workers to explain why
Alabama miners are still out. de-
spite the boards order for them
to get back on the job.
| Wildcat Strikes Spread.
Wildcat coal strikes spread yes
terday to Pennsylvania, Illinois anc
Kentucky, where 1000 more work.
ers walked out. The total of men
idle included 10000 in Alabama
5000 in Indiana, 7,70O in Kentucky
1850 in Ohio. 800 in PENNSYLVANIA
1000 in Illinois and 400 in Arkansas
The Alabama Walkout began Oc-
tober 13. after Government contro
of the mines was relinquished
Mr.. Lewis. who is i'll at his home
in Alexandria, was unable to attenc
the hearing.
In the meantime, the WLB hac
completed hearings and taken under
consideration a proposed portal-to-
portal wage agreement in the Illi-
nois fields which may serve as a
pattern for a contract in the indus
try as whole.
May Meet Tomorrow Also.
Aides said the WLB had decided
to sit today and tomorrow. if neces-
(See COAL, Page A-2D