Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-10

Wy AAiotNN ~ VA
fcials here.
If the coal miners are Govern
ment employees, when and where did
they enter into any formal under
standing or employment arrange
ment to that effect? And if they
have done so, then why did some
coal operators -acting presumably as
Government agents-impose fine
on miners for things that happened
before the Government took over
the mines on May L?
Fuel Administrator Ickes publicly
stated the other day that he wasn't
the new employer" with whom
working contract could be arranged
but merely custodian" of seized
property. That was his reply when
the miners leaders tried to negoti-
ate a working contract of even a
temporary nature with their new
employer" Mr. Ickes told them they
would have to work out an agree
ment with the operators directly or
with the War Labor Board.
Under those circumstances was it
eensible or was it tactless for certain
coal operators to muddy the waters
by interfering the question of fines
for the walk-outs that occurred in
the confused period just before the
Government took over the mines?
Couldn't issues like that have been
left for subsequent settlement be-
fore the War Labor Board?
Rungling Produces Strikes.
Over the weekend some wildcat
strikes have occurred. Miners lead
ers have said these were unauthor-
lied and have urged the men to go
back to work but the provocation
and grievances were there and it
certainly is unfair today to char
scterize those miners as having
struck against the Government II
their own Government allows the
operators to impose penalties now
under a contract that came to an
end May /. It is precisely this kind
Of bungling which brings on strikes
and produces bitterness that often
provokes men to take drastic meas
,ro- l., ,t+op,ptoS rodrecS
The reason why martyrdom comes
10 labor chiefs as the rank and file
grow bitter and distrustful of the
leaders and makers of public opin-
lon, inside and outside of the Gov
eminent. is because the workers
know in their hearts that sometimes
on a jor issue emotional super
fciality fails to place the blame
where it belongs
Thus 1t is conceded that some of
the coal operators have been mis-
using the subsidy of higher prices
granted them by the Government
especially to cover the expense of a
eix-day work week Not many
operators-but just enough of their
number 10 keep the miners stirred
up-have laid off men earlier in the
work week 50 as to pay 81 instead of
tlo5o for the sixth day when it falls
On Saturday.
Also, spe Of the commissary de-
partments Of the big mines where
the miners buy their food and goods
have not played fair on prices.
Likewise, in mining communities
violations Of OPA price ceilings have
occurred. Governmental agencies
are trying faithfully now to check up
on these grievances.
Fairness Would Ease Trouble.
But until chisellers are exposed
and brought to book, friction and
trouble will continue. Strikes in
wartime are intolerable and should
be explicitly prohibited by law, but
this will be valueless unless there's
an efficient machinery for prompt
and impartial handling of griev-
ances and for disciplining manage
ment AS we'll as workers for pro-
ductng the circumstances that pro-
woke men to 20 out on strikes.
II each side would play the game
fairly, acknowledge errors and seek
to correct them conscientiously and
accept impartial umpires to deter
mine the facts Of a dispute, strikes
would In the main vanish. Another
essential is to give the people all Of
the truth In these controversies.
John L. Lewis has been accused. for
instance, Of granting 15-day
truce" The facts are that various
Government officials who saw only
confusion ahead when the miners
contract expired on May /. urged
that Lewis be sent for to arrange a
transition period for the purpose of
working out a formula. So Mr..
1ckes took the initiative and sent
for Lewis on May 2. The latter
would have accepted a 3o-day period
as readily as Is days.
No promises or deals were made
by Mr.. Ickes. who merely explained
that he wanted time to explore the
problem and while he was doing so
the miners should resume work i'm
mediately. Lewis, without equivoca-
ton, accepted the proposal.
If the President hadn't compli-
Gated the issue last week by calling
the miners Government employees"
and If some of the mine operators
hadn't imposed those fines which it
can hardly be assumed that the
Government asked them to impose
at this critical moment, We would
b farther ahead today toward 4
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