Evening star., 1945-09-22
Strikes Increase
Nation S Idle 10
Peak Of 10000
WoIkout of 10000
In Lumber Mills
Set for Monday
BY the Associated Press.


BY the Associated Press.
The Nations idle, resulting
from strikes and shutdowns,
today mounted to about 100000,
a high for 1945 and more than
100000 above the number on VI
day.
AS Government agencies pushed
efforts to halt the rising trend of
labor strife, a strike threat came
from the lumber mills of the Pacific
Northwest, with a walkout of 10000
workers called for Monday.
Detroit found little encourage
ment for effecting settlement of the
multiple disputes that have made
$4,000 workers idle. mostly in the
automotive industry. A complete
shutdown in transportation threat
ened the motor city because of the
spreading strike of CIO oil workers.
Mayor Edward J. Jeffries urged
President Truman to order Federal
labor officials to give highest pri-
ority to the critical situation.
Only IS per cent of Detroits gaso-
line service stations were open and
gasoline dealers association
spokesman said these would be
closed by Monday. Taxicabs gave
only limited service and the mu-
nicipal transportation system cur
tailed some services.
Many Refineries Close.
More than a score of refineries
and plants were closed by the strike
OF oil workers, making idle more
than 21,500 employees in Texas,
Indiana, Michigan. Ohio. Illinois
and West Virginia. Then plants
had shut down in Texas and at least
800 were off their jobs as they
struck for 80 per cent wage boost
and other concessions. Seven plants
were shut down in Port Arthur and
workers in other Texas cities had
voted to strike.
Toledo was on rationing plan
for essential users of motor fuel
as four refineries closed, while
5000 workers were off the job in
eight plants and reflneries in the
Chicago-Northern Indiana area.
Meanwhile, the deadlocked auto
mobile industry-labor trouble-no
closer to a solution-saw two more
plants shut down.
Chrysler Corp. closed its Dodge
truck plant after management said
40 to so pickets barred 300 employees
from entering the factory yesterday
40 Foremen Strike.
Zenith carburetor division of
Bendix Aviation Corp. also closed,
management sending home 1000
workers because of a strike of 40
foremen. The foremen said the
strike stemmed from "dissatisfac-
ton with working arrangements" I"
The company did not comment.
There were no developments In
the strike of 4,5o0 Kelsey-H Hayes
Wheel Co. employees, which contrib
uted to the closing down of Ford
Motor Co. plants which made so 1000
employees idle.
The Pacific Northwest strike
threat followed demand by the
Policy Committee of the Lumber and
Sawmill Workers Union (AFL) in
Portland, for a $11O an hour min
lmum wage which was refused.
A strike would affect AFL oper-
ations in Oregon. Washington and
parts Of Ohio, Montana and Cali
fornia.
About dozen industrial disputes
today Kept more than Al 900 workers
idle in the Pittsburgh area.
Exceptional were strikes in four
Jones q Laughlin Steel Corp. coal
mines. Although only couple hun
dred supervisory employees were in
volved, their walkout shut down the
mines and made $500 miners idle.
Other Stoppages Listed.
Among work stoppages in the
western part of the State were:
westinghouse Electric Corp.
White collar" workers on strike for
18th day. Sharon plant closed, 6,s1s
Idle; East Pittsburgh practically
closed, a. 100 out; another 442 lob
less at Derry and Nuttall.
Pressed Steel Car Co., McKees
Rocks-a walkout by CIO-United
Steelworkers demanding a closed
snop and 50 day pay raise closed
the plant; 5000 idle.
Another strike threat came from
New York City by the CIO Trans
port Workers Union. The union
said unless 500 persons were kept on
their jobs at the Miami (Fla.) base
a strike of 5000 ground personnel of
Pan American Airways, would be
called. Union leaders said they had
advised the National Mediation
Board in Washington the air line
had ;Vvised 500 of its Miami en-
ployes they would be laid off Oc-
tober /. They said the workers told
them they will not accept the layoffs
and unless they are Cancelled they
will strike.
A Pan American Airways strike
(See STRIKES, Page A-2)