Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-03-31
All Miners Report
To Pits on Last Day
Except in Illinois
Industry Faces Stoppuee
With Little AIorm; Some
Steel May Be Lost
GOVERNMENT is WARY on legal
points in coal stoppage. Page AS

By the Associated Press
Production in the Nations
bituminous coal pits virtually
was normal today-the last day
before a six-day work stoppage
by 100000 AFL United Mine
Workers in mourning for the
dead in the Centralia (Ill.) mine
explosion. a..
Fred Wilkey, secretary of the Illi-
nois Coal Operators Association
said in Chicago, however, that q
check indicated at least 1000 ILL.,
nois mine workers had refused te
work today.
He said Illinois mines employ 8
total Of between $4,000 and 19,00(
United Mine Workers and that tn
remainder apparently we're working
particularly in the strip mines.
Industry accepted the prospective
curtailment of fuel supplies calmly
Normally, such stoppage would
cost 10 to IL million tons in coal
production but the mourning peri
Cd ordered by John L. Lewis, NINE
union president, falls in week in
which much idleness would have
occurred anyway.
Traditional April Holiday.
The work stoppage comes in
Easter week which this year includes
the traditional April l holiday for
miners. Few miners work on Holy
Thursday or Good Friday. Saturday
is an optional work day for which
miners who work receive premium
pay. Thus. Wednesday will be the
only full production day lost.
The miners holiday tomorrow
originally was called in observance
Of the miners winning of the eight
hour day April /, 1898. Later, how
ever, they called 1t "Mitchell-Lewis
day" in tribute to the union leaders
John Mitchell, past president, and
Mr.. Lewis.
The rich Pennsylvania bituminous
fields reported normal production
and the West Virginia fields, most
productive in the Nation, reported
no premature ahsenteeism.
Calls for Krug's Removal.
At regular month-end meetings
of Mine Workers locals, the coal
diggers received orders to stop
work at midnight tonight for six
days to honor the Ill Centralia
dead. There were no reports of dis
sents and one large group called
for removal of Secretary Of the In
terror Krug as Mines Administrator
There were ample stock piles Of
coal at most industrial plants. Al
the giant United States Steel Corp
In Pittsburgh, however, officials saio
eight blast furnaces might have tx
be shut down for lack of coke. They
said beehive ovens, which supply
20 per cent of the coke used tt
make pig iron, would be closed since
workers are UNIV members.
Steel sources in Youngstown
Ohio, also expected some reduction
In output.
Lexington, KY, where little Goa.
has been delivered recently, faced g
shortage. Many dealers said they
had only two to four days supply or
hand. Officials said the situation
was not expected to become seriou.
If mild weather prevails.
May Lay Off Train Crews.
A spokesman for the Pennsylvania
Railroad said that line would moi
be critically affected by the mine
shutdown but that some train crew.
would be laid of since they woulc
not be needed to haul coal from the
mines. ..
A leader Of the Association OF
Western Railways said at Chicago
that the shutdown won't bring
much hardship" An official of the
Chicago & Northwestern Railroad
reported most roads have from Il
to 80 days coal supply.
The Tri-State Industrial Associa.
ton, composed of about 1876 stee,
fabricating plants in Ohio, Wesi
Virginia and Pennsylvania, sale
(See MINERS. Page A-5D