Evening star., 1946-05-05
Coal Strike National Disaster
Says Report Issued by Truman;
Pressure for Settlement Seen
Reconversion Held
Back; Senators
Demand Action
(Tert OF Truman Report, Page AZ
BY jones Y. Newton

BY jones Y. Newton
President Truman last night
issued a report terming the five
week soft-coal strike a national
disaster and graphically por-
traying industry-by industry eff
fects of the fuel shortage on the
Nations economy.
The report, prepared by Recon-
version Director Snyder and the Ci-
william Production Administration
came as members of the Senate
denounced John L. Lewis and called
for Government action to end the
strike.
Meanwhile, Washington went un-
der an emergency dimout while re-
ports of other steps to conserve
dwindling coal supplies came from
all over the country. Maryland Of
flcials blanketed Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties under the
District order, which restricts use
OF electricity in private homes and
commercial establishments. It ap-
peared likely that a power ration
ing plan for Virginia would be
worked out in Richmond tomorrow.
No Indication of Seizure.
Mr.. Trumans report warned that
the American people have barely
begun to feel the full impact" of the
strike and that from now on the
effects will spread rapidly through
out the economy and the damage
to reconversion progress will take
months to mend"
1t was believed the statement was
part of Federal program to turn
the heat on Mr.. Lewis, United
Mine Workers chieftain, and the
coal operators to settle the strike,
preliminary to new Government
action in the form of a settlement
proposal. There was no indication
that seizure of the mines was near.
There were these additional de-
velopments in the coal crisis:
l. The Railway Express Agency
announced it would ban all ship
mentS of the type prohibited by the
freight embargo on coal-burning
railroads, effective May 10. The
Office of Defense Transportation re-
quested the action to prevent ship
pers affected by the freight order
from using express. A White House
official said further rail restrictions
may be imposed If the strike con-
tinueS.
2. Negotiations between Mr.. Lewis
and the operators at the Labor De-
partment were recessed until tomor-
row with all sides once more report
ing mo progress" The issue of pay
ment of about 100000 in back
holiday pay has stymied negotiations
since they were resumed at Govern
ment request last Monday.
Further Curtailment Seen.
Edward F. McGrady, special Fed
eral mediator, suggested to the ne
gotiators that they go to church
tomorrow, kneel down and pray to
God for guidance so that We might
get solution to this problem
g. Solid Fuels Administration re-
ported it was drafting orders for
still further curtailment of home
deliveries of coal.
4. The Seaboard Railway an
nounced one of it's trains from
Washington to Jacksonville, Fla.
would be discontinued temporarily
starting tomorrow. Listed as Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
Train No. 81 and Seaboard Air Line
Train No. /, it ordinarily leaves
Union Station at 7:45 pm. Passen-
ger agents for other railroads serv-
ing Washington said they had
learned of no suspensions because
of coal shortage.
Mr.. Truman's report showed that
the basic industries, especially steel,
cotton processing, food. chemicals,
railroads and utilities, are the
hardest hit by the coal shortage.
Should the strike continue two
weeks more steel production will
drop to almost negligible propor-
tions."
The impact of the strike on food
processing has been most pro-
nounced in the fields of dairy prod
ucts and plants packing other per-
ishable foods, both for domestic
consumption and for export to
starving Europe. Five big milk
processing plants of the Borden Co.
are threatened with shutdown.
Nylon Output Almost Stopped.
Fuel shortages have brought nylon
output to virtual standstill and
seriously cut production of anti
freeze, fertilizers and plastic raw
materials. The Nations output of
copper, tin, zinc, lead and building
materials is threatened. The report
stated that so per cent of the cotton
mills will have to close within a
short time.
Not only have inventories of
coal been nearly exhausted" it
continued, referring to industry gen.
orally, but inventories of raw ma
terials dependent upon coal are
being depleted. Even after the
miners return to the pits, it will
take 10 days to two weeks before coal
consumers begin to receive a regular
supply, and it will probably take
another week for closed plants to
build up sufficient stocks to resume
operations. Then the first weeks of
production of basic materials will
have to be used bys manufacturers
OF sumer goods to fill depleted pipe
lines.
Senator Lucas, Democrat, of Il
linois, led the Senate call for strike
ending action. He urged the Govern
ment to seize the mines unless John