Evening star., 1946-11-17
.krug Prepares
For Threatened
Miners Strike
Two Sides Adomunt; 4;
Bituminous Stocks
Con Last 3 Weeks
By james Y. Newton

The Government last night
ordered drastic rationing of soft
coal in anticipation of Nation
wide miners strike at midnight
wednesday and a finish fight
with John L. Lewis, president of
the United Mine Workers.
Secretary of Interior Krug, pre.
pairing the Nations economy for
what may be long battle with MIR.
Lewis. issued orders freezing sup
plies of coal to be produced in the
period before the strike deadline, as
well as stocks in transit and coal in
dealers hands. This fuel will be
rationed only to utilities, railroads,
ships, hospitals, laundries, food T
plants and householders with less
than 10 days supply on hand.
The administration from Presi-
dent Truman on down was de-
scribed as determined not to bow to
the. latest Lewis demands, but to
fight it out to the end with the
miners leader If he makes that
necessary. There was every indica-
tion that Mr.. Lewis, too. was de-
termined to stick by his guns.
Mr.. Lewis has been silent since
notifying Mr. Krug that the mine
workers would consider their con-
tract with the Government dead
as of midnight Wednesday. He
has not responded to appeals to re-
consider, nor to warnings that the
Government holds the contract he
signed last May binding for the
entire period of Federal operation
OF the seized mines and unbreak-
able by unilateral action.
Would be First Strike Against US.
If Mr.. Lewis holds to his posi-
tion and the miners walk out in
observance of their mo contract,
no work" policy, it will mark the
first time the union has ever struck
against the Government in the long,
stormy history of coal industry labor
relations.
If finish fight between the Gov
ernment and MIR. Lewis occurs, it
win be the first time in the many
coal crises of recent years that the
administration has not in the end
bowed to the UNIV chief or found
q way to compromise with him.
The decision not to give in to MIR.
Lewis this time, top officials said,
was not made just for the sake of
fighting Mr.. Lewis and beating him.
/ They said that behind it were
demands Of the union on wages and
other issues that were so funda-
mental that they could be nego-
tiated only by the mine owners
themselves. The demands, it is felt.
might wreck the industry and Mr..
Krug and other top administration
leaders did not want to be party
to any such eventuality.
Stand Must Be Made.
Also behind the decision TO fight
is the belief that a stand against
Mr.. Lewis must be made sooner or
later. To give in now would only
mean there would be another crisis
in January or next June.
The Governments immediate plan
of action was to sit tight, take the
necessary steps in compliance with
the contract with Mr.. Lewis and
await developments. The mines
will be kept open and work will be
offered the miners Thursday morn
ing, the first day Mr.. Lewis says
there will be no contract.
Secretary Krug, it was said, may
explain the Governments stand in
a radio talk to the Nation.
! Mr.. Krug has been running the
mines for the Government since the
White House ordered their seizure
six months ago to end a 59-day
strike.
Officials believe the Nation can
stand about a three weeks strike
now without serious dislocation.
There might be some curtailment of
steel production After three weeks,
however, real trouble would come
with shutdowns of industries all over
the country.
Should the strike-pinch show signs
of becoming really serious the ad-
ministration has several plans of &C
tion under consideration.
One plan is to call special seS-
sion OF the lame duck Congress and
seek the authority to cope with the
situation.
Administration leaders view the
(See COAL, Page A-6.)