Evening star., 1948-03-25
Coal Strike Writ
will Be Sought,
Truman Implies
Action Planned After
Boards Inquiry if
Miners Stoy Out
By james Y. Newton

President Truman indicated
today that the Government will
seek a court injunction against
the Nationwide soft-coal strike
If John L. Lewis miners do not
return to work.
Court action will come under the
Taft-Hartley Act, the President told
4 news conference. If the mines are
still shut down after his Emergency
Board completes its inquiry into the
causes OF the strike over a pension.
Mr.. Truman was asked about
Government plans for settling the
ll-day stoppage. He pointed out
that he had appointed board to
look into the dispute in pursuance
OF the legal steps set out by the
Taft-Hartley Act.
Writ Plea Next Step.
After the board reports, Mr.. Tru-
man said he would take whatever
further steps are necessary under
the law for dealing with the strike.
The next step would be a petition
for a Federal Court injunction.
Meantime, Federal officials said
the coal stoppage will pose very
serious consequences" for the Ma
lions economy If it lasts longer than
next week, and they are laying plans
to obtain the injunction quickly
after the emergency board reports.
The Board will hold its first meet
ing tomorrow. Officials said the in
quiry should take no more than q
week. That would mean that At
torney General Clark would move
for a court order by next week end
if the miners are not back at work.
The Government prepared to take
new emergency steps to conserve
coal. They indicated that cuts in
passenger and freight service on
coal burning railroads would be fol-
lowed up with orders for dimouts
and brownouts to conserve power.
Freight Cut rs Per Cent.
The freight order. effective next
Tuesday, reduces shipments involv-
ing oal-burning locomotives Is per
cent. The Interstate Commerce
Commission set up a priority sys-
tenn giving top transport rating to
food, fuels, medical supplies and
other essential items. Coal-burn-
ing passenger service already has
been cut Is per cent.
There was no indication Mr.. Lewis
planned any move to get the miners
back to work They walked out be-
cause of the dispute with the op-
orators over pension. Mr.. Lewis
charged the operators had dis
honored" their contract by refusing
his demand for 500 retirement pay
for miners so years old with 20
years service.
The current mine stoppage caught
the country with very low stocks OF
coal. Officials warned it would be
disastrous to the domestic economy
as well as to plans to aid Europe
if the strike continues much longer
than three weeks. They pointed out
there was no opportunity to freeze"
stocks at the mines for essential
uses. as was done in the past mine
shutdoWns.
Part of Taft Act Procedure.
Appointment of the board of in
quiry and the planned use of court
injunction are part of the procedure
provided by the Taft-Hartley Act
for dealing with strikes which af-
feet the national welfare. Mr.. Tru-
man named the following to the
board:
Federal Judge Sherman Minton.
former Senator from Indiana and
now a member of the Seventh Cir
cult Court of Appeals at Chicago;
DR.. George w. Taylor, University Of
Pennsylvania professor and former
chairman of the War Labor Board,
and Mark Ethridge, publisher of the
Louisville Courier Journal and
Times.
The board is empowered to study
(Cee Coal poce Ak