Evening star., 1943-06-07
Mine Operators
Coal Pay PACT
Pits Near Normal
As Workers Obey
Lewis Work Order
BY the Associated Press.

Lewis WORK Ordef
BY the Associated Press.
The bulk of John L. Lewis half
million coal miners trudged back
to their pits today under a fourth
truce agreement even as indica-
tions appeared of a new crisis in
the prolonged dispute-reports
of dissension among the South
ern operators.
Hours after the men returned to
Work-With a few exceptions-the
UNIV chieftain and his aides closeted
themselves briefly with operator rep
resentatives to discuss the next step
in their interrupted negotiations.
few minutes after the group
retired behind closed doors, Mr..
Lewis emerged to report that the
miners had recessed to permit an
operators caucus. He said the
negotiators had received no word
from the War Labor Board, which
last week ordered the contract talks
halted until actual production had
been resumed, and added he had no
other comment.
Labor Board Silent.
The WLB also was silent, but a
board official said he doubted that
the board would issue formal in
structions for resumption Of
negotiations. AS he put it the
mil Il
smart just to 60 ahead" without
waiting for WLR nod
Later in the morning formal me-
gotlations were resumed by a SUBJ
committee composed of Charles
O'Neil and former Senator Edward
Burke, representing the Northern
and Southern operators. respective
ly, and Mr.. Lewis and Percy TetloW
of the UNIV.
The bargaining talks lasted only
briefly, however, and the operators
again caucussed among themselves.
adjournlng shortly after noon to
meet again with the full UNIV nego-
tlatlng group at 2:45 pm. There
was no comment.
Interest in the wage dispute shift
ed from the miners. whose mo-
contract, no-WOrk' stand last week
set war production plants back
more than 100000 tons of coal,
to the operators, who were reported
divided on the question OF whether
to seek a new contract at the con-
ference table or ask for adludica-
ton Of all issues by the War Labor
Board
While there was no clearly de-
fined geographical division, most
of the Northern commercial oper-
ators were represented as feeling
the portalto- portal pay issue
should be settled with the union in
negotiations scheduled to resume
today-and the sooner the better.
A large segment of the Southern
operators, on the other hand, was
reported holding out for referees
ruling by the WLB, which Mr.. Lewis
has denounced as prejudiced.
Few Miners Hold Out.
While the Wrangllng continues
here. only scattered breaks in the
backt to-Work front were indicated
by an early-morning survey. A
UNIV local at Houston, Pa, repre-
senting 300 men voted yesterday not
to resume work until a contract is
signed, and three large Ohio mines
employing 2,730 of the States 81 ,O09
miners likewise were idle. A local
dispute kept 1000 employees of a
PENNSYLVANIA anthracite colliery
away from work.
The other miners returned to work
at the direction of President Roose-
welt, but union leaders, in acceeding
to the Presidents wishes, set a
June 20 deadline for settling their
demands for 81 a day wage in
crease.
! Setting of this new deadline. with
its threat of another Walkout two
weeks hence, aroused congressional
| demands for speedy enactment of
anti-strike legislation designed to
prevent just that The legislation,
now before a joint Senate House
| Conference Committee which will
seek to iron out differences between
the two chambers. would provide Jail
penalties for leaders of strikes in
Government-operat war plants or
mines.
Open Break Threa tened.
In directing a halt in the talks
| last week the WLB assailed the
tactic of bringing to the bargain
ing table the threat of a strike"
Bargaining under such a condition
was described by the WLB as
! coercive.
The division among the opera tors,
which may reach the stage of an
open break. was reported reliably to
have hampered negotiations thus
far.
Captive mines present another
complication. They are operated
by the steel companies, which con-
! sumo all the coal produced, and are
located in the North and the South.
The steel companies, operating at
new high capacities, also are pur-
chasing large quantities of coal from
| commercial mines.
An increase in coal prices, II al
lowed by the Government to cover
increased labor costs. would not meet
their problem as it would the finan-
cial problem of the commercial
mines. They may demand an in
crease in steel prices, and assurances
that they can get such an increase
from the Government apparently
have not been obtained.
Informed sources reported that
the operators have petitioned the
board for modification of its order
(See COAL, Page A-12)
"