Evening star., 1945-10-08
Coal Conference
Still at Odds
As Talks Go On
100000 Workers
Idle in Other Strikes
Due to Return Today
FOURTEEN INJURED as Hollywood
police battle film pickets. Page Az
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

ny JhMLS !. NEW lolN.
The conference of operators
and miners called by Secretary
of Labor Schwellenbach in an
effort to end the coal strike re-
cessed at noon today with no
indication that settlement of
differences was near.
Mr.. SchWellenbach said the con-
ferees would return to his Office at
2 pm. John L. Lewis, United Mine
Workers president, was absent from
the morning session, repeatedly be-
cause of a previous engagement.
He was expected to be on hand this
afternoon, however.
At one point in the proceedings
the mine operators broke off from
the conference for caucus on an
unannounced point A spokesman
said later the move was without sig
nificance and that the caucus was
called more to allow tempers to
cool than for any other reason"
Views Still Far Apart.
Although no official statement
came out of the meeting, it was OBJ
vious that views of mine manage
ment and labor were still In stall
mate over the unionization of mine
workers, which caused
the spreading work stoppages.
Meanwhile, the troubled labor
front was eased somewhat today by
back-to-work movements affecting
zoo, 900 workers.
Provided all of the promised back
to-work movements materialiZed to-
day, the number of workers made
idle by work stoppages will be re-
duced from Saturdays total of $780,
900 to about $4,000.
More than 10000 of those held
likely to remain off their jobs were
by 623 closed soft coal
mines in six States. Additional
mines would shut down today. And
there was the threat that unless Mr..
Schwellenbach compromises the
views of operators and miners, the
strike might become industry-wide
Seeks Clear-Cut Policy. d
Mr.. Schwellenbach spent all day
Saturday hearing arguments of
both sides. Although so far he has
not asked either side to recede from
its position, MIR. Lewis did reject an
operators request to order striking
miners back TO work.
The coal dispute does not involve |
issues of higher wages to compen- |
safe for shortened work week, the
primary cause of most of the in |
dustrial strife across the Nation.
Along this line, the Secretary told
reporters he thought a clear -cut
policy on postwar wages would do
much to lessen industrial strife. He
promised to see to it that such a |
pattern is set.
Mr.. Schwellenbach said he would
seek the aid of the War Labor
Board, now a part of his depart
ment, in pushing through test cases
involving demands for 80 per cent
wage increases and employers re-
quests for higher prices to offset
such raises.
Must Obtain Approval.
Most unions contend that the loss
IN take-home pay caused by the
change from 48-hour to a 40-hour
week amounts to 80 per cent. The
currently uncertain Federal wage
policy prevents employers from
using a wage increase as basis for
increasing prices. Approval of OPA
and the Office of Economic Stabili-
sation must be obtained in such
cases.
In the coal case, operators refuse
TO discuss further with Mr.. Lewis
the foremen issue until striking
miners return to work. Mr.. Lewis
contends that his UNIV did not
authorize the strike, that the STOP
pages are voluntary in each locality
and therefore, he will not order
the men back. II
The issue of unionization of mine
employees is an old one
IN the coal industry. Such workers
are now exempt from Mr. Lewis
work contract, and officials fear the
controversy can not be settled
quickly.
Mr.. Schwellenbach has not indi-
Gated what steps he will take if |
his efforts to end differences fail |
although he said he would be very
to recommend Federal
seizure of struck properties.
Oil Workers Back on Job.
Workers returning over the Ma
ton included the $4,000 oil workers
In 81 refineries and plants in Is
States which were seized by the
after collapse of ne
(See LABOR. Page A-2D