Evening star., 1943-06-19
UNIV, Owners.
Hold Last.Ditch
Conference
Surprise PorIey
Delays Union
Policy Meeting
BY ]. A. FOX.

Leaders of the United Mine
Workers and the bituminous OPP
orators got together this after
noon in a last-ditch effort to
avert a Nationwide tie-up in
the coal fields, as reports from
nearly dozen States showed ap-
proximately $4,000 men idle in
the creeping paralysis of the in
dustry that already is threaten
ing steel production.
An informed source who was
quoted by the Associated Press as
having disclosed plans for the un-
expected conference of the war
ring forces, said that the miners and
operators have not necessarily
agreed to resume collective bargain
ing on the merits of the demands
Of the miners. but would "see what
can be done about the War Labor
Board order"
The board Yesterday refused tn
pass on the demands of the miners
for underground travel pay-their
alternative to fat raise of 50 daily
which had been refused earlier-and
the exodus from the mines started.
Interrupted Policy Session.
The meeting between operators
and miners was arranged as John l..
Lewis, head of the UNIV. and his
Policy Committee prepared for a
session which was expected to see
the workers formally chart their fu-
ture course. The miners have been
working under truce which expires
at midnight tomorrow, but the un-
favorable action by the War Labor
Board yesterday brought quick re-
pudlatlon of the temporary peace
arrangement, and a trickle from the
shafts that started at midnight last
night had become a flood this aft
ernoon.
Starting in Alabama, where the
Idle stood at $4,000. the strike move
ment had involved other workings
as follows; Pennsylvania, l24ao;
Kentucky, 1000: West Virginia,
1000: Illinois, 4200; Virginia Ten
nessee, 4,7oo; Ohio, $500, Indiana.
$50.
1t seemed certain that unless the
late developments here bring peace.
the tieup will be complete by Mon
DAY morning, with the $50 coal
dlggers on the sidelines Comment
from the field indicated that the
principals took this view.
There was no indication of action
either by the White House or Sec
retary of the Interior Ickes, who
has been operating the mines since
the Government took them over.
Miners Visit White House.
A group of six Logan County
(W. Va miners went to the White
House today to urge the President
to bring about a settlement of the
3-month-old wage dispute. Failure,
Claud B. Campbell. the chairman,
said would result in another inter-
ruptlon of coal production"
The committee presented their
proposal to Marvin H. Mcintyre.
presidential secretary. and included
an appeal that the President veto
the anti-Strike bill now on his desk.
While the miners had been de-
mandlng a $2-a-day increase, Mr..
Lewis had let it be known that Sl.3O
would be acceptable. but the board
finally decided yesterday that the
grant would represent an unknown
liability under the Fair Labor
Standards Act, and therefore was a
case for the courts to decide. The re-
action of the miners was speedy,
Walkouts starting quickly.
The Alabama walkout tied I'D
mines of the Republic Steel Corp.
and Tennessee Coal, Iron e. Rail-
road Co.. supplying fuel for the
blast furnaces which are turning out
steel for the war effort. and one
official predicted that an immediate
cut in steel and iron production
could be expected. Then Pennsyl-
vania furnaces were hit.
The holiday" as the miners
called it, was the third since nego-
tiations between operators and the
UNIV were deadlocked on a contract
to replace the one that expired
March 81, and the second since the
Government took over operation OF
the industry May l.
New Contract Ordered.
The board decision embodied an
order directing the disputants to
sign a two-year contract, on the
general lines of the expired pact,
and containing a no-strike pledge
for the duration.
Following flve-day tie-up earlier
this month. the mines-both bitu-
minous and anthracite-have been
working under the truce expiring at
midnight tomorrow, while the War
Labor Board-which Mr.. Lewis has
refused to recognize, incidentally
wrestled with the travel pay issue.
If the miners conform to custom
they simply will walk off the job
tomorrow at midnight, on the
ground that they have no contract.
unless the Policy Committee orders
otherwise.
Observers saw the chance that
the anti-strike bill might prove
deterrent, inasmuch as it pro-
vides for criminal prosecution of
any one fostering strike in a
Government controlled industry.