Evening star., 1943-08-17
Ickes Given Power
To Put Coal Miners
On B-Hour Week
Hy the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
With the approval of President
Roosevelt and the War Labor
Board, Secretary of the Interior
Ickes was free today to order q
48-hour work week for any or
all of the Nations coal mines
which he has been administering
since their seizure by the Gov
ernment.
The action, War Mobilization Di-
rector James F. Byrnes declared in
his speech last night, was taken
because of the threatened coal
shortage" Mr.. Ickes has estimated
that 25, 100000 tons of coal were lost
In the mine work stoppages last
spring which preceded Government
seizure.
While there was no immediate
word from Mr.. Ickes, it is expected
that he will start the longer work
week at once-an action that will
give the coal miner an extra 50 a
week in pay at a time -and half
rate of $1.50 hourly for the addi-
tional six hours work. The miners
have been working six seven hour
days weekly, with time and half
pay for the sixth day.
Lewis Sought 48-Hour Week.
John l.. Lewis, chief of the United
Mine Workers, had already proposed
the 48-hour week as one of his
terms for settling the prolonged
mine wage dispute that resulted in
q series of strikes.
The 48-hour work week Is pro-
vided in contract between the
UNIV and Illinois coal operators,
which is now before the WLB. The
Illinois agreement, which must have
WLB sanction, also provides for
settlement of the controversial is
sue OF portal-to-portal pay on the
basis of $1.25 a day extra for the
miners underground travel.
A prominent operator asserted
that an increase in work hours
would not be necessary "if we were
getting from the men today the
same tonnage output a day we did
before Pearl Harbor." He placed
the output man before the Japa-
nese attack on Hawaii at better
than six tons daily and now little
better than Eve tons.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Ickes announced
procedures for giving companies
operating coal mines under Govern
ment control an opportunity to gain
wider freedom in handling their
financial affairs.
A major objective is to clarity the
financial status of the mines. Com
panies have contended that confu-
sion had made it difiicult for them
to- get credit and consequently had
retarded their production.
Ickes Issues New Regula tions.
Mr.. Ickes provided in new regu-
tation that the companies could be
relieved of having to make current
accountings of their operations to
the Government and relieved from
other financial requirements If they
would submit agreements to him
whereby each would:
!. Confirm as its UNDERSTANDING
Its sole financial responsibility for
operations during the period of
Government possession and control.
2.>Adopt and ratify all acts and
omissions Of the Government op-
Grating manager and agree that the
Government shall not be subject to
any claims by reason of the possess
sion and control of the mines.
3. Certify that the company will
make no disposition of funds or in
cur any Indebtedness that would
impair its working capital 50 as to
ieopardize maintenance of fullest
possible coal production.
Have Right to Protest.
The companies, he said. will have
the right to protest specific direc-
tions or orders which they fear may
cause them to suffer damage.
Companies which do not file the
agreements, Mr.. Ickes said, will
continue accountable to the Gov
ernment for their. custodianship