Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1946-11-16
Special Session
OF Congress Is
considered
Lewis Is Defiant
OF Truman AooeaI
And Rugs Truce

Washington, Nov. l6.-!4r-Thc
administration, in 4, toe-;o-ioe show
down fight with, sciiant JOHN L.
Lewis. sought grizzly f. lay 10 hold
100000 sof; coal miners 10 g.v-
ernmcnt contract tic attorney gen.
eral says is binding.
No official was leIiin! Just VIM
will be done if Lewis persists in
his contention that he can and will
terminate the contract next We'd
ncsday midnight, hating rroiuc-
ton at the 1890 govcrnment-o9cr-
ated mines.
But there was talk that 70" =
starter Secretary of the interior
krug may take 10 the rgdi0 to 60 10
the country and ask miners to keep
on mining coal.
Although represented as dctcrmin-
ed not TO put Lewis in the role o.
martyr, these cor.erned with the
fuel crisis spoke OF:
|. Possible action under the Smith
Connally act. which provides year
in prison and $1,000 fine for in
citing strike against the govern
| ment.
2. \ special session Of the lame
| duck Congress TO enact new laws
| forbidding strikes in so vital an i'll
| dustry as coal mining.
Tho Lewis position. however. il
that there simply will be nc valid
contract in existence after the te"-
mination time he has Set-and the
| United Mine Workers do not work
| without contract, 49,.
Here he clashes head-on with Al
iorncy General Clark. who advised
| Secretary of the Interior krug yes
| terday that the contrat is binding
as long as the government runs the
mines.
Underscoring the gravity CT the
situation. thr Solid Fuels Admin.
Siration said the nation has only =
81 days supply Of fuel on hand.
compared with the A2-day stock just
before last springs two months
walkout
a proposal by KruG that Lewis
negotiate with the mine operators
for sixty days for contract under
which tho digeingS could 60 back &c
private Cpeation. meanwhile keep
ing the miners on their JOBS. fell
on deaf ears.
So did tuo appeals for him 10 re-
consider. the first by Prcsidcn: Tru-
man in public statement cmpha-
sizing tho desire e 10000. 00f
Americans for Industrial peace"
and the second by Krug in a forma
letter TO Lewis.
*. c. Adams. editor Of the UNIV
journal, charged that forces Of in,
trigue" are seeking 10 stall unit
such time and under 81: II con.
ditions as would stage blow-ui
during the first days OF the new
Congress"
The operators. along with othe
business and political interests. have
planned TO make the coal wage Issue
the basis for pressing anti-labO
legislation and the repeal Of a!
existing protective labor laws.
Adams said III an editorial.
Krug's letter 10 Lewis late yes
tcrday. quoting a formal opinion o
the attorney general, said you az,
= without power 10 terminate thi
contract with the government"
: Lewis stood by his contention
that the phrasing OF the Contrac
} permitted him 10 call it of on du
notice. AS fo" The proposal 60 ncgo
, tiaic with the operators. he arcad
$ had told Krug:
? The miners do not propose 4
. deal with parties who have no Statti
under that contract. We do net pro
9 pose to be driven like dumb beast
to the slaughter of slow Strangi
| lation cnvisioncd by your propose
;. and the operators we'll known an
I Icing used tactics Of evasion and dc
I lay. We call upon you TO honor you