Evening star., 1946-05-31
Government Expected
To Delay Seizure Of
Anthracite Mines
BY jones Y. Newton

The strike of $4,000 hard coal
miners began today, posing new
John L. Lewis troubles for the
Government. But it was indi-
Gated that seizure of the anthra-
cite mines was not planned for
the immediate future.
Top Federal officials were hopeful
that the anthracite industry, To-
Gated almost entirely in Pennsyl-
Vania, would settle it's differences
with the United, Mine Workers on
the basis Of the new agreement for
the soft coal mines worked out by
the Government with Mr.. Lewis. !
President Truman, it was under
stood, has been advised against TAX
ing over the hard coal mines i'm
mediately. The fuel is used almost
exclusively for home heating and
the strike is expected to have little
effect on industry as did the much
larger shutdown of bituminous
pines.
Soft Coal Answer Awaited.
Meanwhile, it was indicated that
an answer would be forthcoming
shortly as to whether the soft coal
operators would accept the contract
drafted by Secretary of Interior
Krug for the period of Government
operation of the huge industry The
mines cannot be released from Fed
eHl control until the private inter-
e&s- have signed, with. Mr.. Lewis f,..>
Members of the Southern Coal
Producers Association were meet
ing today to consider the new con-
ltract. Captive mine Interests, own
Gers of mines that supply largely the
big steel companies, will meet to-
morrow, and the PENNSYLVANIA soft
coal operators will get together
Monday.
A spokesman for the Southern
group, the largest and most conser-
vative in the industry, surprisingly
stated that the Government drafted
contract was mot as bad as it might
SEEM" He added, however, that it
was too early to predict what action
his group would take. The con-
cession on Mr.. Lewis demand for
unionization of supervisory workers
appeared to be the largest obstacle
to acceptance of the new agreement
Byrd Says U. S. Surrendered"
Senator Byrd, Democrat, of Vir-
ginia today described settlement of
the soft coal strike as Government
surrender" to Mr.. Lewis, adding that
with the signing of the new con-
tract the union leader won his
greatest victory" 1t was the fourth
time, he said, that the Government
had bowed to Mr.. Lewis.
On. the other hand, Senator Pep
per, Democrat, of Florida praised
the coal pact. He commented: IF
the Government had pursued in the |
rail strike the course that it followed
in the coal strike, we never would
have had a days interruption in
railroad service, insnay opinion"
Reports from the coal fields mean
while, indicated a trickle of softI
coal miners returned to work today |
with full production expected Mon
day. A small number of minesi
were operating in Pennsylvania and
it was estimated that fifth of Ala
bama's $4,000 union workers were on
the job. Scattered operations were
resumed, too, in West Virginia with
one Southern district reporting a
third of its pits running
From every area the miners .evi.
denced satisfaction with terms OF
the new work agreement drafted
with the Government.
Possibility of Long Shutdown.
In terminating the contract and
calling out the anthracite miners
today, Mr.. Lewis followed the same
plan of attack as he did against the
soft coal operators. 1t was held
highly unlikely that the industry
would sign any new agreement with
the Union until soft coal opera tors
had signed up Even then there was
the possibility, based on past eXpe-
rlence, of long bard coal shutdown.
While nearly all of the hard coal
industry is in Eastern Pennsylvania,
few miners in Southwest Virginia
are covered by the anthracite con I
tract.
Soft coal operators were saying
little publicly about the Government 1
contract until the groups of owners
had time to act. The contract gives
the miners a wage boost of $1.85
day, a welfare fund supported by
scent per ton royalty, assurances of
improved housing, sanitation, safety,
and lesser concessions. Despite the
wage boost, the take-home pay of
miners likely will be reduced be-
cause of their expressed determine
ton to work a flve-day, 45-hour
week, instead of the six-day, 54-hour
week worked the past several years.
Their pay on the new basis would be
$59.25 week compared to $6350 for !
the old and longer week. r.>.s.z ..es
Price Increase Expected.
Meanwhile, it was indicated that
the public will have to pay from 80
to IS cents per ton more for soft
coal as the result of the new con-
tract gains of Mr.. Lewis. The con-
tract was expected to go to the
Wage Sterilization Board for ap-
proval today, considered just for
mality, while the Government it
self will apply to OPA for higher
prices. Operators wanted to see how
much relief OPA would grant before |
appraising the agreement
The soft coal welfare fund, most
spectacular of Mr.. Lewis demands
for the bituminous miners, would
yield s25,000,000 to S3O,0O0,O00 an
nually. 1t is to be administered bysf
a board of trustees consisting of one
member picked by Lewis, one picked