Evening star., 1943-06-21
Steel Leaders Predict Disaster
In New Wa|kout Of Coal Miners;
Next Move Is Up to Government
Ickes Awaiting
Possible Talks
With Union Men

tons coal mines were thrown
into idleness for the third time
in seven weeks.
The walkout at the pits, which
started at midnight Friday became
general last night when John L.
Lewis United Mine Workers re-
jected what they termed an 'in-
famous yellow dog contract" pro-
posed by the War Labor Board.
Today the only prospect of coal
being dug was in Illinois, where most
members of the American Fedora
ton of Labor Progressive Mine
Workers were expected to stay on
the job Even there, however. at
least $500 of the States $1,000 Pro-
eresSive Mine Workers were idle in a
sympathy stoppage that affected
II of the 1870 mines with PMW con-
tracts.
Two Centers Feel StOppage.
The stoppage was felt Immediately
In at least two steel centers.
The Republic Steel Corp said at
Birmingham, Ala, it was forced to
added that its four blast furnaces
there and one at Gadsden were op-
Grating at only 80 per cent of
capacity.
At Pittsburgh the Carnegie Illinois
Steel Corp. banked its first beehive
coke ovens, asserting the company's S
coal stockpile still was materially
nf
walkout which closed IL of the
firms % blast furnaces in that area.
Pennsylvania with 100000 hard
and soft coal miners and West Vir-
ginia with 10000 bituminous work.
ars represented more than three
fifths of the total number idle.
Numbers of UNIV miners in other
States include $4,000 in Kentucky
Illinois. $4,000; Alabama, 22,000 Viz
ginia, 23,500: Ohio, 81 900; Tennessee,
10000; Indiana, 5000; Arkansas
Oklahoma, 5000: Colorado, $3.50;
Wyoming, 400: Utah. 5000: Iowa,
1000; New Mexico, 1900, and Mon
tana, 1900.
The next move seemingly was up
to the Government, and there were
indications that Secretary of In
terror Ickes. who has been in charge
OF the mines since May l, would
confer with union chiefs. In spurn-
ing the terms of the WLB to nego-
tiate new contract with the oper-
ators on the basis of the pact that
expired in April, the Mine Workers
expressed willingness to continue
the production of coal for the Gov
ernment itself" but it was not GER
tain what this might mean, and
Mr.. Lewis refused to amplify. Mr.
Ickes cancelled trip to the Gov
ernors' conference at Columbus and
stood by for a possible meeting with
the union today.
There was no comment from the
White House on latest developments.
Federal Control Seen as Goal.
Some observers believed the UNIV
was seeking Federal control of the
industry for the duration. When
the Government took over the mines
it was with the understanding they
would be turned back to private
operation when uninterrupted pro-
duction was assured. The operators
have been acting as agents of the
Government, under Federal control.
In the meantime, men responsible
for turning out steel for the war
effort were predicting disaster.
The Carnegie Illinois Corp, largest
steel producer had estimated earlier
that the effects of general strike
would be felt within "a hours, and
that 'in very few days production
would fall to Is per cent of current
output.
Jones e. Laughlin Corp, another
Pennsylvania producer, said present
stocks of coal would last less than
three weeks and that steel produc-
ton would begin to drop within a
week. A day earlier the pinch was
beginning to be felt in the Alabama
steel mills, and source there today
said furnaces would be going down
in 73 hours for lack of coal.
The operators declared with the
breaking off of negotiations yester-
day that mo possibility of agreement
exists so long as the miners con-
tinue their insistence on 81 30 day
extra pay for underground travel
time. This figure had been whitfield
down from an original demand of 81
Willing to Work for U. S.
The Mine Workers policy Com
mittee, in a 750-word statement as
sailing the War Labor Board, which
Mr.. Lewis has charged with preju-
dice. declared:
I'VE assert the willingness of the
mine workers to work and continue
the production of coal for the Gov
ernment itself, under the direction
of the custodian of mines.
The executive officers of the
United Mine Workers of America
are hereby instructed to hold them
selves in readiness to confer with
the Secretary of the Interior"
The third stoppage in the recur-
ring crises, which hit anthracite as
well as soft coal mines, came in
the face of a report by the Office
Of War Information stressing the
Importance of coal to the wal
economy.
Underscoring the owl statement
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