Evening star., 1948-04-04

UeoWshy 10 Lflc p(LI ILtQI LSIL OF
the Coal Inquiry Boards report
to President Truman:
On July 8, 1s47, certain bitumin-
Gus coal operators too numerous to
mention, and the United Mine
Workers Of America, represented by
John L. Lewis. president, j. OLeary,
vice president, and Thomas Ken
nedy, secretary-treasurer, and num-
erous district representatives, ex-
ecuted written agreement concern
ing wages and working conditions,
effective July /, 1947, to June 80,
1948, and known as the National BIZ
luminous Wage Agreement of 1947.
Among other things, the agree
ment provided for a welfare and re-
tirement fund and the operators
agreed to pay into said fund 10 cents
for each ton of coal sold or used.
The operators have made the re-
quired payments into the fund and
no complaint as to any failure in
this regard has been made. This
fund, now totals approximately $780,
100000. 1t is not invested, but lies
idle in the bank. The title to this
fund as 1t accumulates is vested in
a board of trustees.
The agreement provided for the
appointment Of three trustees who
were to adopt a plan for the dis
tribution Of the fund and a program
for its administration. One trustee
was to be appointed by the opera
tors, one by the miners, and these
two were to select the third.
The operators designated Mr.. Ezra
Van Horn; the miners, Mr.. John L.
Lewis; and they. in turn. selected
the third member, Mr. Thomas E.
Murray. All three trustees accepted
the appointment and have con-
tinued to serve except Mr.. Murray,
who resigned effective as of January
16, 1948. Mr.. Lewis has reported to
the miners that Mr.. Murray had re-
signed rather than side with the
mine workers. (Mr. Murray has
testified this is not a correct state
ment)
No Action on Vacancy.
No successor has been selected by
the remaining trustees as provided
In the agreement or otherwise. Mr..
Van Horn suggested to Mr.. Lewis
that the vacancy be filled and sub
nitted to him for consideration for
such possible appointment, the
names OF certain individuals. Mr..
Lewis did not respond to this sug-
gestion and has taken no action
toward filling the vacancy.
The fund has not been activated
because the trustees could not agree;
first, upon those eligible for pensions
to be paid out of the fund, and Sec
ond, upon. the actuarial soundness
of any plan so far presented. Dis
agreements on these points arose
out Of the efforts of the trustees to
carry out that part of the 1947
agreement which reads:
The aforesaid trustees shall des-
ignate portion (Which may be
, changed from time to time) of the
payments herein provided. Based
upon proper actuarial computations,
as a separate fund to be admins
tered by the said trustees herein de-
scribed and to be used for providing
for pensions or annuities for the
members of the United Mine Work.
ers of America or their families or
dependents and such other persons
as may be properly included as ben
eflciaries hereunder"
Lewis Proposal Cited.
Although the trustees agreed that
prompt action to provide for pen
sions was called for, they could not
agree on the means for doing so.
Mr.. Lewis suggested the payment of
q pension of 500 per month to all
members Of the United Mine Work
ers, including those not covered by
the l947 agreement, who had at
tanned the age Of go years and who
had been for 20 years employed in
the industry. This proposal made
by Mr.. Lewis was rejected by Mr..
Van Horn, who contended that it
was not only actuarially unsound
but prohibited by the terms of the
1s47 agreement and by the provi-
sions Of the Taft-Hartley Act. Mr..