Evening star., 1947-04-06

representatives that the mine be
closed. He admitted that ; copy
Of Federal inspectors report on
Centralia, along with reports on
conditions at several thousand other
mines, had been In his possession
since last November. Mr.. Krug said
that his ONCE had received no conn-
plant from either Mr.. Lewis or the
committee.
Individual mine safety commit-
tees, made up Of union miners, are
by terms of the Federal
safety code In the Krug-Lewis agree
ment to require removal Of men
from any unsafe area.
Mr.. Lewis explanation was that
he and his miners were "intimi-
dated" by the court strike injunc-
ton. He feared. he said, that II he
or . safety COMMITTEES caused the
shutdown Of . mine for unsafe"
reasons they would be brought into
court and cited again for contempt,
although tho procedure was pro-
vided In the contract.
On the other hand, Mr.. Lewis was
not sufnciently "intimtdated" to Be
restrained from taking advantage
Of another contract provision-that
giving him the right to call . "nie-
mortal" work stoppage.
Secret Weapon.
The memorial period idea was .
sort of secret weapon Mr.. Lewis kept
handy for just the right occasion.
The right OF the United Mine
Workers to call memorial periods
was first inserted in their 1941 con-
tract with the private coal operators.
It had never been used before.
Mr.. Lewis said he had not rec
commended" memorial period be-
fore because for most Of the time
it has been in the contract the Ma
ton was at war and the miners did
not wish to interfere with coal pro-
duction at such q crucial time. No
House committee member pointed
out the fact that Mr.. Lewis union
indulged In at least five major
strikes during the war.
This time was selected for mourn
ing. Mr.. Lewis said. because coal
stocks are large, the heating season
is over and the public will not be
"inconvenienced.s Yet, he did net
hesitate to call a strike last Mo-
vember as winter was setting In.
Mr.. Lewis also made the statement
that coat strike had never dam
aged the country
Mr.. Lewis feud with Mr.. Krug Is
similar to the ones he had with
President Roosevelt, former Secre-
tary Iches and numerous others. As
one observer aptly put 1t, Mr.. Lewis
policy Is to dominate or decapitate."
AS In so many past relationships, the
union boss has found ne cannot rule
Mr. Krug. so he has set about hav-
ing his head chopped off.
Like his successor, Secretary Krug,
Mr.. Ickes also came through with q
very good contract to pull the mine
workers out of hole after the war
time strikes of 1943. 1t was not long,
however, before Mr.. Lewis had
turned on the self-styled c,lrmud-
geon with vengeance.
Formed Dislike for Krug.
He had not known Secretary Krug
before the contract negotiations In
late May last year. He formed an
almost immediate dislike for the
Secretary, although Mr. Krug gave
him what is generally regarded as
the best contract the miners ever
had. He resented the youth and
the confidence Of the 39-year-old
cabinet officer Mr.. Lewis regarded
him as sort of upstart, boy doing
a mans work.
Last october 81 the union boss
charged the Government with
breach of the Krug-Lewis agree
ment in the matter OF vacation pay
and the weighing of coal for the 5.
cents-per-ton welfare fund royalty,
the latter a major concession from
Mr.. Krug. He served notice Of re-
opening the whole contract on tfs
notification terms of the 1945 con-
tract with the private operators.
Mr.. Krug replied the Krug-Lewis
agreement could not be reopened.
holding that 1t specifically stated
that 1t was to last "for the period
Of Government operation" Of the
mines.
Showdown Delayed.
The final showdown was delayed
SOMEWHAT Mr.. Lewis demanded of
Mr.. Krug, among other things, .
fat increase in the miners basic
hourly wage and the doubling to 10
cents per ton of the take for ths
welfare fund. In wages, Mr.. Lewis
wanted the mine workers TO get tbs
same pay for 40 hours they were
receiving, including overtime pre-
miums, for 81 hours a week-a raise
In the hourly rate of So cents.
Then followed the Lewis contract
Termination" notice to Mr.. Krug,
the District Court injunction, the
strike and finally the conviction OF
Mr.. Lewis and his union for con-
tempt Of court for ignoring the
injunction. He called of the strike
the day the case reached ths
Supreme Court.
The decision Of President Truman
to fight the awesome Mr.. Lewis 70
a finish marked the first time this
Government had stood up against
the union boss. at least for a long
time. In making the stand, the
President acted on the advice OF
Mr.. Krug.
The mine workers had lost nearly
tuo rnouffs' nav in the strike last