Evening star., 1946-11-30
Loss Of Millions
In Fines Faces
Striking Miners
Lewis Apparently
Losing Court Fight;
Trial in Recess
By james Y. Newton

NOlil1 IL. LCWlO cOl1AlllS oOlt
coal miners today faced fines
running into millions of dollars
as it appeared that the United
Mine Workers were waging q
losing battle in the court phase
of President Truman's crack
down on the union chieftain.
The District Court trial of Mr.
Lewis and the union for contempt OF
court was in recess until 10 am
Monday as the strike which re-
suited in the legal action entered
its tenth day.
Things seemed to be going badly
for Mr.. Lewis in court, where
Justice T. Alan Goldsborough ruled
yesterday that the Norris-La Guar
dia anti-injunction law does not
apply to the Government in its eff
fort to end the strike.
Operators Call for Fines.
Coal operators reported that a
"very considerable number" of min
ing companies have filed applica-
tions with the Government to fine
miners 81 to 81 for each day they
are on strike. The amount varies in
different coal districts. The action
could be taken under provisions of
the Government work contract
which Mr.. Lewis terminated" to
bring on the walkout.
In other coal crisis developments
Edward r. Burke, head of the
Southern Coal Producers Associa-
tion, was rebuked by some of his
directors for saying, first to The
Star, that the coal operators would
be most happy to begin negotia-
tions with the miners looking to
settlement of the economy shaking
dispute.
He scheduled a meeting Monday
of his board of directors to deter
mine the Southern groups position
in the matter. The group always
has been the conservative wing OF
the industry, and quite a few of the
operators are said to be content
to watch from the sidelines the
showdown fight between Mr.. Lewis
and the Government-ab battle they
have hopes Mr.. Lewis will lose by
eventual passage of legislation un-
favorable to labor.
Knowland Suggests Appeal.
Meanwhile, Senator Knowland
Republican, of California, urged
President Truman to appeal to the
miners to return to work. If that
fails, Senator Knowland asked the
President to cali for volunteers to
break the strike and operate the
mines.
The provision for fines against
miaers taking part in authorized
strikes was carried over into the
Krug-Lewis agreement of last May
20, under which the Government
operated the seized mines, from past
pacts with private operators.
It has not been followed too ex-
tensively in past stoppages. When
it was applied, the money collected
was usually given to charity by
agreement of both sides. However,
on several occasions, Mr.. Lewis has
insisted that penalties be waived in
return for his calling off a stoppage.
Since the strike is 10 days old, the
400, 900 miners already would be sub
ject to from $4,000, ,00O to $4,000, 900
in fines.
A spokesman for the Interior De-
partInent's coal mines administra-
ton said it would be necessary to
consider separately each company's
application for assessment of fines.
Some officials doubted the move
would have beneficial psychological
effect on the already adamant
miners. Tt could make them more
determined than ever to hold out.
No New Peace Moves.
There were no new hoves apparent
to end the strike through direct ne
gotiation between the mine workers
and private operators for a contract.
In calling a meeting of directors
of the Southern operators, Mr.. Burke
acted after 10 members of the 27-
man board signed a statement that
he lacked authority to propose re-
sumption of contract talks with Mr..
Lewis. @
Mr.. Burke, always one of the last
operator representatives to capitu-
late before union demands, said that
I'VE (meaning operators from va
rious sections) are willing to forget
about the recent difficulties" He
suggested that the miners return to
work, and that negotiations begin
right where they broke down last
spring, just prior to Federal seizure
and signing of the Krug-Lewis
agreement.
The 10 dissenting members of Mr..
Burke's board. all from Southern
West Virginia, has this to say:
'eWe believe that talk at this juno
ture of renewal of operator -union
negotiations tends only to becloud
the fundamental questions that are
now at issue in the strike of the
union against the Government of
their contract and in f1agrant disre-
gard of the orders of the Federal
court"
Burke Stands Pat.
Mr.. Burke came back with this:
1.-THE only way we can get coal
mined is by making an agreement
and the only way we can get an
agreement is to start negotiations
and the sooner the better"
The trial of MIR. Lewis and the
union for contempt began yesterday
afternoon after Justice GoldSbor-
ough overruled a defense motion to
dismiss the proceedings. The court
ruled the Government was not SUBJ
ject to the Norris-La Guardia Act.
which limits injunctions in labor
disputes. He pointed out that at the
time of enactment of the law IN
(See COAL, Page A-4.)
kAora Thnn S0 Hin