Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-04-26
Lewis Refuses
WLB Bid 10
Fill Coal Panel
Board Pushes Ahead
With Hearing Plans;
Strikes SPREADING

CELANESE STRIKE ENDS i've
hours ahead of Presidents
deadline. Page AS
BY the Associated Press.
Strike reports came from two
more sectors of the bituminous
coal fields today as John L.
Lewis continued to ignore the
War Labor Boards efforts to set
tie contract disputes affecting
his 100000 soft coal miners.
The United Mine Workers presi-
dent allowed to expire without a
word from him the WLB's $50 am.
deadline for submitting nominations
for labor member of three-man
fact-f1nding panel.
Previously Chairman william H.
Davis had said the board would use
it's own common sense" in selecting
the panel-to represent the public,
industry and labor-if Mr.. Lewis
continued to disregard the WLB. He
failed to appear Saturday for pre-
liminary session.
The board had the task Of choos-
ing labor representative who is
not a member of the United Mine
Workers, nor of the CLIO or AFL.
Those are the specifications set by
the board itself. inasmuch as the
UNIV is an independent union.
Warn of Strike Spread.
Meanwhile, some $500 miners
were reported on strike in South
western Pennsylvania and South
western Kentucky, and union off,
Gals warned the walkouts might
spread because of dissa tisfaction
among the men over the progress Of
negotiations.
Mines of the Republic Steel Co.
| and the Wierton Steel Co. were the
| first affected in the Pennsylvania
stoppages. Later the walkout ex-
tended to two mines owned by the
Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp, and
UNIV district officials, who de-
scribed all the strikes as unauthor-
lied, said pickets also kept some
men away from two other mines.
These are operated by the H. C.
Prick Coke Co. and the Pittsburgh
Coal Co. BY mid-afternoon there
were over ten struck mines in the
Pennsylvania field.
In Kentucky the Black Mountain
Coal Corp. at Kenvir said 1000 men
were idle, and between 800 and 500
Creech Coal Co. miners voted not
to enter the pits after reporting for
work this morning.
At Birmingham, Ala, however,
company spokesman said more than
1000 miners who failed to report at
five major mines in that district
Saturday were back at work. Tho
one-day stoppage was ascribed by
District UNIV President William
Mitch to decision by the miners
simply to 60 fishing" because Of
dissatisfaction over progress Of the
wage negotiations and what he
termed failure of the operators to
install six-day week with overtime
pay for the sixth day.
Showdown" Charged.
At Pittsburgh an official Of the
Castle Shannon Coal Corp. who
asked not to be quoted by name.
said he had noted "a lot of absen-
teeism' and added that lit looks
like there is deliberate showdown"
among the men still at work.
Some other operators in the South-
western Pennsylvania fields reported
absenteeism somewhat above normal
but said it probably was due to the
Easter holiday.
K. c. Adams, Mr.. Lewis press
representative, said in New York the
union considered the UMW's con.
tract with Northern operators no
longer in effect because the operators
suspended negotiations last Friday
in order to attend the WLB session.
There was no indication, however,
that the union was formally advising
its members of its view.
Mr.. Adams added that the South
ern contract was considered still in
effect because negotiations with the
Southern operators still are in
progress.
The original contract expired
March 81, and 30-day extension
runs out this Friday.
Mr.. Adams said there would be
no formal statement until after the
UNIV Policy Committee meets to-
morrow. The WLB panel also will
meet for preliminary session to-
morrow and formal hearings are
scheduled to begin Wednesday.
Names of panel members are ex-
pected to be announced later in
the day.
The union is demanding a 81
daily increase, an SO maximum for
coal field workers, portal-to-portal
payment and unionization of minor
posses.
Southern producers in news
(See COAL, Page A-6)