Evening star., 1946-04-01
New P:ar|ey Set
As 100000 Men
leaveCoaI Pits
Conference Arranged
In Effort to Reduce
Length of WoIkout
BY the Assoeioted Press

by me Associofed PresS
A work stoppage by the Ma
tion's soft coal miners, backing
up the traditional mo contract.
no work" policy of the AFL
United Mine Workers, began to-
day for 100000 workers whose
collective bargaining contract
expired at midnight.
The Government, unable to halt
the Walkout, turned its attention
to trying to cut the walkout as
short as possible.
Special Mediator Paul Fuller was
assigned the principal role in this
effort. He planned to meet with
the negotiating committees of
miners and operators at 2::30 pm.
today.
Secretary of Labor SchWellen-
bach appointed Mr.. Fuller, his
special conciliator for the rubber
industry, after conferences with
John L. Lewis, UNIV president, and
the operators last week made it
clear that it would be fruitless to
press for continuation of the con-
tract which Mr.. Lewis ordered
terminated.
White House Secretary Charles G..
Ross said today the coal strike was
in the hands Of the Secretary of
Labor. and that President Truman
was not taking any action on the
matter
No Picketing Planned.
AS calm settled over the coal fields
Mr.. Lewis said there would be no
picketing. Rationing of coal was
started on Government orders to
insure supplies for urgent uses. The
stoppages in production, if pro-
longed, threatened to disrupt the
country's reconversion program AL
ready, one major steel company an
nounced it would have to bank 20
blast furnaces.
The beginning of the work STOP
page found members of the union
ready for holiday anyway-their
annual celebration of April l in
honor of John Mitchell, one of the
unions earliest presidents, and to
commemorate the 48th anniversary
of the 8-hour day. Actually, the
effects of the strike therefore will
not be felt until tomorrow.
Mr.. Lewis principal demand from
the coal industry is the establish
ment of health and welfare fund
for miners, to be created from an
assessment on each ton of coal pro-
duced and to be administered by
the union. The operators baked. |
The National Coal Association said
such a royalty payment" levied for
the benefit of the union would
make Mr.. Lewis "a dictator more
powerful than any America has ever
known"
Mr.. Lewis refused to discuss other
major issues of wages and hours
until the welfare fund question was
settled.
Maintenance Men Remain.
Reports from coal areas said ar
rangements had been completed |
previously for union maintenance
men to keep the pits in condition,
and Mr.. Schwellenbach asserted he
had assurance from Mr.. Lewis that
utilities dependent on coal would
be provided for.
President j. L. Perry of the Car
negie-Illinois Steel Corp, in an
nouncing 20 of the corporations 80
blast furnaces in the Pittsburgh
area faced the necessity of banking
almost Immediately, said:
This situation would affect steel
workers throughout this United
States Steel subsidiary and industry
generally, resulting in the enforced
idleness of large number In ad-
dltion. many other workers would
be affected to the extent of having
only partial employment. Steel
workers have lost considerable time
since January 81, the date of the
steel strike, and further suspension
Of operations at this time would
impose an additional hardship on
steel employees and the economy in
this area"
The steel strike. which lasted
nearly month through part of
January and February, affected 75O.-
700 workers and was the only work
stoppage greater in scope than the
miners strike to be called in the |
Nation since VI day
Two States Principally Affected.
Principally affected are the pivo-
tai coal-producing states of Penn
sylvania and West Virginia, en-
ploying one-half of the Nations
soft coal miners. Many of the
States produce coal, but the largest
other producing States are Illinois,
Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana. Alabama
and Virginia.
In West Virginia. foodlights
played over silent mine mouths and
tipples this morning at 1901 am,
the hour the contract terminated.
There was no activity to break the
quiet which set in after final shifts
were finished by the miners Sat-
urday
A the same hour the Government
took over control of shipment and
distribution of soft coal under
orders of the solid fuels administra-
ton. Retailers were directed to
distribute supplies only to such
consumers as gas plants, hospitals
and householders having less than