Evening star., 1946-11-16
Chance 10 Avert
Coal Strike Put
All One in Ten
Government officioIs
Ready to Go to
Mot With Lewis
By jones Y. Newton

SSHhSS - NGWtOU
The Government today was all
set to go to the mat with John
L. Lewis and there were few Of
ficials who thought a Nation-
wide soft coal strike could be
averted at midnight next
Wednesday.
One high official expressed the
opinion that the chance of avoiding
q strike was "about In 10" and
that was based on the slim hope that
Mr.. Lewis would reconsider his re-
lection of a Government 60-day
truce proposal; or that some way
could be found to get conciliatory
talks going again.
The administration knows that
the country cannot stand q long
strike, and should walkout become
protracted, consideration already is
being given to calling the lame-duck
Congress into emergency session to
enact q law to end the stoppage.
Many May Jump Gun.
There was rather widespread
belief in the Government that a
good many of the miners would leave
their jobs before the date Mr.. Lewis
says he will declare the work con-
tract with the Government void. In
past work stoppages, they have
trickled of the job ahead OF
schedule.
In any event, there will be no
strike call from Mr.. Lewis. The
miners need none. They will simply
hold to their traditional policy of
mo contract, no work" Mr.. Lewis
now has informed all that so far
as he is concerned there will be
no contract after Wednesday mid
night.
Secretary of the Interior Krug,
backed up by an opinion of At
torney General Clark and solidly
supported by President Truman,
contends that Mr.. Lewis cannot uni
laterally void the agreement he
made last May 20, under which the
Government since has operated the
soft coal mines.
Krug's Position.
Mr.. Krug's position is that the
agreement he signed with Mr.. Lewis
holds for. the entire period of Gov
ernment possession of the mines.
He says that If the miners adhere to
the Lewis Interpretation and strike
next week, 1t will be in violation
of the contract.
The Government strategy from
now on until the strike seadline, an
official said, will be to go through
with all of the steps necessary to-
comply with the contract with the
miners. 1t will continue to offer
to discuss inequities in the present
contract with. the mine workers.
1t win offer work to the miners and
keep the mines open so that miners
can work past the Lewis deadline If
they want to.
Mr.. Krug, it was said. is consider
Ing making radio talk to explain
the issues in dispute to the Nation.
Such a talk, 1t was emphasized, viii
not be designed to convert" the
union members from the Lewis way
of thinking. The officials think the
latter course would be sheer folly. .
They do, however, want the public to
understand their position.
Felt U. S. Lacked Authority.
The latest coal crisis was precip-
1tated by Mr.. Lewis making of de-
mands for higher wages and other
things of such magnitude that Mr..
Krug felt the Government did not
have the authority to negotiate on
them with the union.
The Interior Secretary believes
that only the private mine owners
have the right to answer the huge
new demands With that in view he
suggested 60-day truce and extern
sion OF Government operation, which
period would be used for negotiations
between the mine workers and pri-
vate operators.
II no agreement with private in
terests were reached in the go DAYS,
that is by January I6, eht Govern
ment would release the mines. Then
1t would be up to MIR. Lewis to decide
whether to strike or continue his
talks with the owners.
MIR. Truman described the Krug
plan as reasonable and fair to all,
but Mr. Lewis rejected it fatty yes
terday. At the same time, he noti-
fed Mr.. Krug that, in accordance
with his view of the reopening pro-
visions Of the contract he was
declaring the whole agreement dead
rs of next Wednesday.
:. MIR. Krug, in letter to Mr.. Lewis
last night, told the union boss you
are without power to terminate this
contract with the Government" He
quoted the opinion of Attorney Gen.
eral Clark that the agreement was