Evening star., 1947-07-01
Coal Operators Gather
For Showdown Talks
with Lewis in Capital
BY jones Y. Newton

NegotiatorS for Northern and
Western soft coal operators
gathered here today for show
down talks on John L. Lewis
contract crisis.
The operators set up headquarters
at the Shoreham Hotel and were
ready to resume conferences with
the United Mine Workers in an
effort to iron-out remaining differ
ences over contract terms.
1t was expected that it would be
known within a few days whether
or not there will be walkout of the
1000 miners next Tuesday. On
that day, the workers Today vaca-
ton ends. Unless the operators
and union can arrive at new con-
tract, it appears certain the miners
will stay out.
Schwellenbach to Offer Help.
Secretary of Labor Schwellenbach
was expected to offer the help of his
Cancellation Service if the coal dis
putants are unable to get together.
The Secretary will try to arrange
conferences if the operators en-
counter difficulty making their own
date with Mr.. Lewis.
The threat of a new coal strike
was a matter Of grave concern to
the Government. Thousands of
workers in steel mills and on coal
carrying railroads already have been
laid of. Then, too, there is a gen.
eral shortage in other fuels, such as
oil and natural gas.
1t is known that all of the North
ern and Western operators, under
pressure from the steel industry,
have offered to meet Mr.. Lewis
wage-and-hour demands in full.
These call for an increase in basic
wages amounting to IS cents an
hour, one of unprecedented size in
big industry history.
Sticks to Collateral Demands.
Mr.. Lewis, however, has failed to
accept the large offer. Instead he
stuck steadfastly by his collateral
demands, too, and asked that safe
guards be written into the contract
to protect the union from possible
penalties OF the Hartley law
regarding wildcat" strikes and "un-
fair" labor practices.
The union boss also has insisted
that the operators contribution to
the union welfare fund be doubled.
This would mean an increase of the
fund take" from the present cents
per ton to 10 cents. In addition. he
demands premium pay for all work
done on Saturdays and Sundays,
regardless of whether the miners
work the full week.
Benjamin F. Fairless, president
of the United States Steel Corp.
and George M. Humphrey, chair
man of the Pittsburgh Consolidated
Coal Co., took the lead in offering
the miners the IS cents an hour pay
boost. Other operators of the North
and West went along with the offer
reluctantly.
Operators who still are hopeful of
reaching accord with the union
represent rs per cent of the Nations
coal production. Southern interests,
who make up most of the remaining
Is per cent, have said little recently
about trying to get together with
the union.
Mines Returned to Owners.
The Government yesterday for
mally released possession of the
$500 soft coal mines 1t seized year
ago last May to end 59-day strike.
Properties were returned to the
owners because wartime Federal
seizure and operational authority
expired last midnight.
Expiring, too, was the controver-
sial contract which Secretary of In
terror Krug made with Mr.. Lewis.
1t was under that contract that the
Government ran the mines. Mr..
Lewis last November attempted to
terminate the agreement and wound
up in court on contempt charges.
Some Government officials were of
the opinion that even If he can get
satisfactory terms from the op-
orators, Mr.. Lewis will not sign i'm
mediately. They reasoned that he
might allow the miners to stay out
for a while just to show that the
Taft-Hartley law, hated by labor,
is ineffective in dealing with him.
Even should a contract be nego-
tiated for operation of the mines in
the North and West, it was feared
there will be a long and costly strike