Evening star., 1946-12-07
u. 5. Industry Braces
For Further Layoffs
Due 10 Coal Crisis
BY the Associated Press

/ Uue 10 IOdl IHSIS
!. BY the Associated Press
!, PITTSBURGH, Dec. THE Ma
I tion's industry today braced itself
Z for further unemployment inroads
from the coal strike amid reports
that the tiny trickle of fuel coming
from the pits was increasing slightly
s in West Virginia and Pennsylvania
= the two biggest bituminous coal
= States.
With more than 100000 workers
Idle, in addition to 400, 900 miners,
new and sharper setbacks were pre-
dicted on every hand as result
of the added freight ban. Total
strike idle of 100000 was forecast
by years end if the shutdown lasts
that long.
In West Virginia, where 02,000
soft coal diggers normally work,
Jesse v. Sullivan, secretary of the
West Virginia Coal Association, de-
clared daily increasingly defiant"
miners have returned to work at
!, scattered operations, seemingly
fearless" of possible union retalia-'
ton.
Two Million Tons In Week.
The operators spokesman said ma
tional production reached 1000, 600
tons for the week ended November
{ 80 as compared with the 100000 tons
he asserted was being dug weekly
during last springs walkout. Normal
production is 12,000, 900 tons week.
He declared:
Increasing tonnage may be the
visible crack in the strike
through which John Id Lewis
sought to freeze the Nation into SUBJ
:. mission"
Mr.. Sullivan said strip tonnage in
q dozen counties was reported nor
NAL and added one of the largest
working mines employed about $50
men.
The Navy Coal Mines Administra-
ton said AL mines were operating
in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania, employing more than $4,000
union and nonunion miners and
producing an estimated 1876, 900 tons.
That output represents Is per cent
of the areas normal production.
In the immediate Pittsburgh vicin-
ity, the Solid Fuels Administrat ton
said $4,000 tons were now being dug
daily by 5000 miners in 96 strip
mines after the recent increases.
At Altoona, in the heart of the
rich Central Pennsylvania area,
John N. Geyer, STA administrator.
reported production had risen from
$4,000 tons day to 10000.
Capt. o. c. Carlson, coal mines
administration head in the Pitts
burgh area, said troops would be
called, if necessary. to protect work.
ing miners. In Washington, the
Civilian Production Administration
froze equipment-such as surplus
power shovels and cranes-needed
to strip-mine coal and directed the
War Assets Administration to sell
only to holders of CPA certificates.
Meanwhile, unemployment spread
with steel and iron counting to-
tai of more than $1,000 idle, rail-
roads reporting $1,000 furloughed,
and miscellaneous industries ac-
counting for 171,000.
Frantic shippers laid siege to al
ready overburdened truckers in a
desperate effort to keep goods NOV
ing. Baltimore trucking firms said
all requests were turned down be-
cause of a big backlog of orders
three months old.
Exception to Freight Embargo.
In Washington, the Association OF
American Railroads made an excep- |
ton in the freight embargo Of rail-
road traffic over lines which do not
burn coal. AS Office of Defense
Transportation agent, the associa-
ton issued permits for oil and elec-
tric-powered carriers to continue
normal operations. In such cases,
the entire route of goods carried
must be on noncoal-using lines.
In Detroit, the Ford Motor Co.
delayed "at least temporarily" plans
to furlough 10000 workers last night.
The firm, which already has laid of
an equal number, said revised work
ing schedules permitted the delay.
At Baltimore, the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad disclosed it will lay
off 1,5O0 clerical workers-one-q quar-
ter of it's Office force-on Tuesday.
The Southern Railway System at
Meridian, Miss, said 5000 workers
have been let out.
An estimated 10000 Virginia
workers were idle today as a result
of the coal strike, with other thou
sands facing the same prospect If
the shutdown continues a few more
days.
The State Emergency Fuel Com
mission, warning that "unprece-
dented hardship and suffering" are
in the offlng if the situation remains
unchanged, called for the most
drastic measures" to conserve fuel
in order to safeguard and preserve
the public health
An appeal for the utmost efforts
for coal conservation went out to
the 160 local Emergency Fuel Com
mittees, which were urged to make
plans whereby stocks in the hands
of consumers within the community |
would be available for emergency
distribution after dealer stocks have
been exhausted"