Evening star., 1945-10-06
.SchweIIenbach
"Opens Farley
On Coal Dispute
Oil Workers Heed
Back Work Order;
Ford Plant to Reopen
By JAMES Y. NEWTON.


United Mine Workers and soft
coal operators for two hours this
morning in an effort to reconcile
differences and halt the spread
ing strike which already had
closed at least 586 mines and
made idle more than $4,000
miners in six States.
Another meeting was scheduled
after a recess for luncheon, and
Mr.. Schwellenbach said he may
issue a statement after the con-
| ference.
Asked if he had any comment
on the morning session, Mr. Lewis
said: How can one elaborate when
there is nothing on which to
elaborate?"
The question of recognition of the
unionization of foremen is the issue
in the coal strike, a sore point of
years standing in the industry.
Operators twice recently have re-
fused Mr.. Lewis invitation to dis
cuss the trouble
Elsewhere on the troubled labor
front things were brighter.
! In Detroit, the Ford Motor Co.
said production of automobiles,
trucks and tractors, halted since
September IA, would be resumed
next week as the CIO United Auto
Workers announced that 4,500 work.
ers of the Kelsey Hayes Wheel Co.
would return to work at that time.
Oil Workers Returning.
There were firm indications, too,
from numerous areas that the CIO
Oil Workers were needing orders OF
the union executive council here
to return to work Immediately and
cooperate with Navy operation OF
a third of the Nations refinery
capacity.
Spokesman for the AFL Long
shoremen's Union in New York also
expressed confidence that other
locals would follow the lead of the
. major local in voting to return to
l work Monday. This would return
e 10000 workers to their jobs and
i return New York City shipping to
= normal
Strike Lines to Shrink.
o. With the settlement Of differences
D. in some industrial disputes and
temporary truce called in others, it
/ was indicated that current strike
y lines of $4,000 workers would shrink
!. - to below 100000 early next week.
: 1t was clear, however, that the
> situation in soft coal fields posed
. the biggest test yet for Secretary
= SchWellenbach and his labor concili-
. = ators. There seemed real danger Of
y Nationwide coal strike
I The Secretary's job was to obtain
comprimise of Mr.. Lewis demands
T. that mine operators give full recog-
: milton to his Supervisory Workers
Union, a part of the UNIV District
u so. Operators contend that mine
foremen are part of management
= and steadfastly have refused to dis
cuss the issue involving more than
$4,000 men.
Operators Appear Adamant.
Edward r. Burke, head of the
Southern Coal Producers Associa-
ton, accepted Mr.. Schwellenbach' s
invitation to meet for the operators.
He indicated the operators would
give little ground on the foremen's S
issue. Mr.. Burke predicted that
the Government would seize the
Struck mines, but Federal officials
said they thought such action would
do little to help the situation
Oil workers in the 50 strikebound
plants began a back to work
movement after o. A. Knight, pres
ident of the CIO international, re-
quested the men to return late yes
Is terday. MI. Knight made clear that
: the workers differences with big
= oil companies which hampered
y transportation in several areas since
= mid-September had not been set
70 tied and that I'VE are still on strike
4 against the companies"
Mr.. knight said the workers would
= return to work only because Presi-
,f dent Truman seized the plants ano
4 turned them over to the Navy to
,s operate. He added the union woulc
70 continue its fight for a 80 per cent
N overtime pay.
N Reports from Fort Worth indicat.
IT ed that Is Texas refineries anC
pipeline systems would resume op.
erationS today under Navy direc-
"a ton, and at Port Arthur thousands
ie of workers were to vote on the re-
AZ opening of nine other plants
ir Tulsa Oil Strike Ends.
VI Oil workers in the Tulsa, Okla.
= area were back on the job today
~ ~ their strike apparently at an end.
"a H. Struve Hensel. Assistant Secre
~ tary of the Navy, said the closed oi
~ ~ plants are all expected to resume
..e ae operations Monday.
- ! Meantime, it was learned the Nav
- has agreed to join with the oil work
ers' union in asking War Labo
u :. Board approval of Is per cent wag
l1' increase which some refinery com
ne panies have agreed to put in effec
VI when a 40-hotlr week is restored.
:li W Some companies already are get
~ ting ready to go from 48 or A hou
NJ week to 40 hours, but the production
G loss caused by the strikes beginnin
September 16 may delay them.
IN Despite the critical labor pictur
- nc the labor-management conferenc
~ scheduled for November 5, cannot b
oe held sooner, Secretary Schweller
hs s (See LABOR, Page A-3J