Evening star., 1946-03-31
Goal Production
Ends al Midnight
As sPar|eysFai|
Government Hopes to
Shorten Strike by
Naming Mediator
By jones Y. Newton

The Government last night
abandoned hope of preventing a
Nationwide coal strike sched-
uled to begin at midnight to-
night as Secretary of Labor
SchWellenbach reported that all
efforts now will be directed to-
ward making the Walkout as
brief as possible.
John L. Lewis told newsmen,
after Mr.. Schwellenbach had con-
ferred with him and the mine
operators for several hours yester-
day, that the situation is un-
changed" and that the miners
will take rest next week"
Mr.. Lewis, declaring his 100000
United Mine Workers will remain
off the job until they have won a
fair contract no matter how long
it takes" charged that the opera
tors have not conceded a single
point under discussion"
He added that mot a comma or
semicolon has been written in
new (Wage) agreement.
Secretary Schwellenbach told re-
porters he had not proposed an
extension of the work contract,
which Mr.. Lewis has terminated
effective at midnight, because he
saw it would be futile.
Mr. SchWellenbach estimated that
coal supplies are sufficient to run
most essential efforts from four to
six weeks.
Mediator Is Appointed.
The Secretary said he thought the
dispute could be disposed of in a
reasonably short time if they the
negotiators) can get down to meet
ing the issues one by one. trying to
resolve the issues as they come to
them" He added that negotiations
between the disputants will be re-
sumed at the Shoreham Hotel at
2:30 pm. tomorrow
SdIu Gildl IlS
had appointed Paul Fuller of Akron
Ohio, as Government conciliator. to
mediate the dispute and added that
both Mr.. Lewis and the operators
had promised fun cooperation
with the conciliator.
Mr.. Fuller handled the recent
negotiations in the rubber industry,
and Secretary Schwellenbach said
he did the outstanding job of the
reconversion period" because he was
able to get an agreement without a
work stoppage.
Mr.. Schwellenbach said he had
not intervened in the mine case
until yesterday because both sides
had said they could make better
progress if the Government remain
ed out.
The Secretary said Mr.. Lewis had
agreed to the continued operation of
certain coal mines directly connected
with public utilities. Mr.. Lewis
later verified this statement. say
ing he had sent out such instruc-
tions to the UNIV district presi-
dents.
To stretch" Coal Use.
Solid Fuels Administration officials
in the big steel centers of Pitts
burgh and Chicago estimated that
such industrial users of coal as
steel mills and public utilities have
an average of about 80 davs slpnly
on hand.
The United States Steel Corp.
disclosed it would curtail blast fur
mace operations simultaneously with
start OF the strike, with the aim
of stretching out" use of its coal
on hand. Also, operations of the
corporations big by-products coke
plant at Clarion. Pa, would be cut
to so per cent at once.
Big steel" mills have about 13
days supply of coal available at
Pittsburgh and enough for three
weeks at Chicago. The Carnegie
Illinois Steel Corp, United States
Steel subsidiary, announced it's
Chicago operations would probably
drop to so per cent by April 7.
The Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp.
said it had enough coal for two to
three weeks.
In last years negotiations, Mr..
Lewis agreed at the last minute
to a months extension of the con-
tract but a widespread strike de-
veloped anyway. At that time, the
Government was forced to seize
several hundred mines before the
Walkout was ended.
Federal officials said there were
no present plans to seize the mines
this year.
Mr.. Lewis said that in addition
to .inStrllctino his lncalS to con