Evening star., 1947-04-09
U. s, Britain Ask|Lewis 10 Reject
Return Of Reich Pacts Lacking
Lands by Poland Welfare Fund
Soys Cool Royalty
Must Be Doubled
To Meet All Needs
By james Y. Newton

John L. Lewis said fatty to-
day that he would sign no con-
tract with soft coal mine owners
which does not include provi-
sion for a health and welfare
fund for his mine workers and
that the present take" Of the
fund would have to be doubled
in order to meet all require
ments upon it.
The mine union head made his
remarks at a news conference held
by the three trustees, of which he is
one, OF the miners welfare fund pro-
vided in the Government (Krug-
Lewis agreement) contract with the
miners union. The other trustees
are Navy Capt. NJ H. COLLISION, Fed
eral coal mines administrator. and
Thomas E. Murray, New York manu-
facturer, who was named chairman.
Earlier today the National Coal
Association, representing soft coal
mine owners, accused Mr.. Lewis
of promoting deliberate and pre-
meditated'' strike in defiance of Fed
eral courts, as major portion of the
Nations mines remained closed.
Benefits Retroactive to June.
The trustees announced that first
payments from the fund would be
$1,000 to the families of all miners
who die either from accident or
natural causes. The death pay
mer1ts, the equivalent of life in
surance policy, will be made retro
active to June l last year when
collections under the fund first
began. Thus the families of the Ill
victims of the recent Centralia, Ill,
explosion will be among the first
to benefit.
Mr.. Lewis estimated that such
death payments would total $6,-
zoe, 900 annually.
Mr.. Murray, who Is president of
the Metropolitan Engineering Co.
of New York and director of
Chrysler Corp, said the trustees
would meet again next Tuesday to
their administrative staff
and to work out details for pay
ments to distressed and injured
miners.
The fund now totals about $18,-
100000. 1t is on deposit in a New
York bank to the account of the
Paymaster General of the Navy
and will be transferred to the trus-
tees. The fund had not been used
until now because disagreement
over appointment of third trustee
The post was given to Mr.. Murray.
Five Cents a Ton Levy.
The highly controversial miners
welfare fund is raised by levy of
flve cents ton on all salable coal
mined. Secretary of Interior Krug
included provisions for the fund in
the agreement he negotiated with
Mr. Lewis last May after the Gov
ernment had seized the mines to
end 59-day strike.
Refusal of the coal mine owners
to give in to the Lewis demand for
a welfare fund was one cause of the
lOlkS Inc.
Mr.. Lewis was asked today what
would happen to the fund when the
Government releases the soft coal
mines which 1t must do June 30
under present law.
Just to put your mind at ease. :"
Mr.. Lewis told the reporter. "I will
say that the United Mine Workers
have no intention of signing anyI
contracts which do not contain
provisions for welfare funds"
Mr.. Lewis went on to say that the
present S cents ton take" OF the
fund lis insufficient to carry out
all the obligations of the mine
workers-obligations which we orig
Inslly contemplated when we first
made our demands"
Says Larger Payments Needed.
He said fatty that it would be
necessary to increase payments to
The fund to 10 cents ton In order
20 care for all the cases of death,
injury, hardship and distress among
,f1e miners.
Mr.. Lewis latest instructions to
he miners-to return to work as
quickly as mines are declared in
conformity with the Federal mine
safety code-was termed by the mine
,wners as a "deceitful dodge" de-
signed to break up -to-work
lSee COAI, Pace Az