Evening star., 1943-05-01
ing plants reported situations similar

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Oscar F. Ostby, assistant deputy
administrator of solid fuels for New
England, estimated there is 40
days supply of bituminous coal in
that area.
But the Rochester IN. " Gas &
Electric Corp. said coal strike
would have immediate effect on the
amount of electricity and gas sup
piled big war plants in that city
including the optical Arms of Rausch
81 Lomb and Eastman Kodak.
From the great industrial cities
dotting the shores of the Great
Lakes, especially steel towns, came
expressions of fear of imminent
danger of coal famine William j
McGarry, manager of the Cleveland
Ore and Coal Exchange, said coal
on hand and in transit on the lakes
represented LESS than seven days
dumping to Great Lakes vessels"
Railroads Hard Hit.
Some of the railroads, busy ir
these days carrying coal to wal
plants, are worried themselves ovel
coal supplies.
Missouri-Pacific spokesmen sale
that road was in bad shape. fol
coal, would begin to feel the effect
of a coahstrike in week and shut
down II days after one started.
In the Chicago area, survey in
dicated that railroad stocks varied
from 10 to As days. Oil-burnine
and electric railroads were on
lockers.
In most cases, the famine menace
was not so imminent for utilities
which, generally, said they were well
stocked. And with spring here
householders in most areas had
little reason to worry.
AS the walkouts began last night
Price Administrator Brown, speak
ing over the Mutual Radio Network
declared:
Il recognize how strong are the
claims OF the coal miners, but l can
not say too strongly that the coal
miners cannot better their position
in a race between wages and the
cost of living"
Denies Lewis Claims.
He devoted much of his talk to the
cost of living issue, which Mr.. Lewis
has emphasized in his demands for
wage boosts for the miners. Mr.
Brown said it was not true that
living costs have outstripped wage
increases.
Goal miners are earning today
far more than they earned at the
time war broke out" he said. Aver
age hourly earnings in the bitumi-
nous mines in January of this year
were % per cent above the average
for August, 1939."
In an evident appeal to public
support If the mine, dispute forces
the President to act, Mr.. Brown said
Let the American people join
us in holding the line. Today we
are faced by a crisis on the wage
front. Demands are now being made
for substantial wage increases.
am compelled to speak in opposition
I am compelled to point out that il
this wage increase is granted, in
creases cannot be denied to workers
in other industries.
These increases can only mean
further rise in the cost of living.
Your Government needs your
support in this critical hour"
Concurrently from Elmer Davis
head of the Office of War Informa-
ton, came the tip-of that the ad-
ministration may count heavily on
appeals to the miners patriotism to
support whatever course is fol-
lowed.
Lewis May Cripple Army.
The usually soft-voiced Hoosier
swung to sharp words last night in
his weekly radio address and said
that enemy planes and submarines
have not stopped supplies from
reaching American forces in Tuni-
sia, but John L. Lewis may stop
them"
He said the United Mine Workers
head "is putting on the squeeze, and
if the miners follow him, he can
squeeze pretty hard"
Stating that the stoppage story is
feeding the Axis propaganda mill,
Mr.. Davis said no one supposed that
the coal miners want to help the
enemy, but how did hundreds OF
thousands of good American citizens
get into a position where, in fact
they will help the enemy, if they
go out on strike?"
Short-tempered Senators made il
clear on Capitol Hill that if nc
solution seems near by Monday
they will take action which may
provide the President with more
power At that time a bill by Sen
ator Connally, Democrat, of Texas
permitting the Government to take
over struck plants and mines, will
be up for consideration.
Vandenburg Sounds Warning.
Senator Vandenburg, Republican
of Michigan, today expressed what
appeared to be a growing reaction
when he told reporters he did not
believe Congress can sit idly by
and let situation of this kind
jeopardize the very lives of the
fighting forces of this country"
'Labor's right to strike is a
fundamental American freedom, but
when it collides with the national
security it must give way to the
public welfare" he declared.
This ought to be possible without
the passage of new laws, but if the
need for new law is precipitated by
labor leadership, we shall write new
law which effectively accomplishes
the purpose, even if it has to be
criminal law" he said.
One Senator who declined use oil
his name said he is drafting ar
amendment which would prohibit
any person from persuading or in.
ducing another to quit work in a wal
industry.
Benes Coming Here
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