Evening star., 1943-06-01
Most Of Nation S Coal
Mines Closed by
New Work 5toppage
Lewis and White House
Silent; No Reports Of
Disorder Are Received
Continued From First Page.

AAoA oAACIu AoI udy -SllAAt uuty. 1AcIc
were no reports of disorders and
only scattered picketing. In West
Virginia an estimated 10000 men
stayed home.
The Eastern Ohio fields, which
employ 5000 of that States 2l,000
miners, also took on a holiday ap-
pearance. Tom Starks, UNIV rep
resentative for district 6. said, LAS
far as I know there's not a mine
working in Eastern Ohio"
Mr. Starks added that the general
feeling among the miners is that
there won't be any work unless Mr.
Lewis extends the truce or con-
tract Is signed" That seemed to
sum up the situation everywhere
Reports indicated at least $4,000
men were idle in Kentucky, $4,000
of them in the Harlan area, where
the only mine operating was the
International Harvester pit at Ben
ham, employing $50 members of the
Progressive Miners of America
The Solid Fuels ONCE at Charles
ton, w. Va, estimated about 10 per
cent of th1 States mine personnel
was on duty at maintenance work
keeping the mines in shape for
quick resumption of operations
Presumably the same situation ap-
piled elsewhere.
Iowa reported its 5000 miners
idle, and later reports added 4,500
to the number who walked out in
Kentucky. Those reports came
from the West Kentucky field
where the UNIV contract does not
expire until July 81 All the 1000
PMW miners in that field remained
at work.
Fifteen thousand of the Progress
sive Mine Workers also remained on
the job at 1875 Illinois mines, re-
Gently released from Government
operation because of union no.
strike pledge, but 200 other mines
were closed as the States $4,000
UNIV members stayed away. There
were no reports of trouble at any
of the Illinois mines.
Coal also still was coming from
two Virginia mines. at Clinchco and
Dante. where the approximately O.
600 employees of the Clinchfield Coal
Co. are members of an independent
union. Elsewhere in that State
however, reports showed a virtually
complete stoppage by the estimated
II 5OO Orpa nized miners
Alabama reported three non union
mines still in production. but they
represented only 1000 of that State S
$4,000 miners
One nom union mine in West Vir-
ginia. employing 900 men, also con-
tinued operations.
As Days Supply on Hand.
Mr., Ickes reported, meanwhile, that
as of month ago the Nation had an
average of As days supply of soft
coal in stock piles aggregating 78.-
665 900 tons. an increase of ,373 900
tons over April l. He attributed the
gain during April to a lower con-
sumption rate due to seasonal in
fluences
Bituminous production for the
week ended May % totaled l1.57O,-
600 tons. compared with 12,30O,0OO
tons in the previous week Mr.. Ickes
said the decrease was due to floods
in the Midwest.
Anthracite production for the week
ended May % was 1851 900 tons,
compared with 100000 tons a week
earlier He did not account for
that slump.
Washington and the rest of the
country waited TO see what action
the Government would take to pro-
tect its interests as nominal operator
of the mines.
The situation in other coal-pro-
ducing areas was
Tennessee-District UNIV head
quarters said the decision here was
awaiting word from New York. A
spokesman for the Tennessee Prod =
ucts Corp. mine operators at Whit
we'll said he was not expecting the
company's 300 men today and that
only a few showed up for the night
shift.
Arkansas-The situation here de-
veloped slower than in other areas
because the mines of Arkansas do
not operate night or early morning
shifts.
Colorado-Speaking for the West
and Alaskan territory, Federal coal
mine manager said he was reason
ably sure a large number were de-
termined to stay off the job.
Indiana - Unofficial reports had
the States 1000 miners ready for 8
strike.
New Mexico, Wyoming. Utah anc
Montana-approximately 5000 min
ers expected to quit work.
Union Persists in Position.
The union persisted officially in its
position of past controversies-that
no strike was called. Mr.. Lewis
aides said that it was up to the in.
dividual miners whether they re.
ported to work or not. In the hare
coal fields of Pennsylvania, mo con.
tract. no work" signs illustrated
how they felt.
An aura of mystery attended the
overnight development of the worl
stoppage when Mr.. Lewis spent
about an hour on one of the upper
floors of downtown hotel and ap.
peared in the lobby shortly before
midnight with the terse announce.
ment that he was going home tt
Alexandria. He declined to say
whether he had been comforting with
any one. He brushed away question.
on reports he had spoken with Mr.
Ickes or Interior Department Off.
cials.
The mine chieftain's final "gooc
night dispelled last-minute hopes
for some development that would
avert shutdown. Operators ano
miners engaged in the negotiations
had recessed at $50 pm. to meet
again at the call of the chair" In.
formally. the miners heard that
something would be done about {
pm. last night. About that time
Ezra Van Horn, chairman of the
Joint Appalachian Conference, said