Evening star., 1949-12-24
Railroads Sure
Of Coal Supply
Until Feb. Is
Truman Still Silent
On Move to Invoke =
Law Against Lewis
By jones 7. Newton

TO assure the Nations railroads
Of an adequate supply Of soft coal
was In effect today, but there was
no indication that President Tru-
man plans to move any time soon
against John L. Lewis limited
work-week In the coal fields.
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission issued an order effective
last midnight giving railroads top
priority on coal produced at mines
from which they normally get sup
plies. The action was taken to
prevent any breakdown In rail
service in the cold weeks ahead.
The order continues In effect until
February Is.
Federal officials said the United
Mine Workers 52-day fall strike
and the three-day work-week in
effect since December / had re-
duced coal supplies to the point
where one railroad. the Chesa-
peake & Ohio, already was forced
to use some of the, fuel it was
carrying as freight.
Small Stocks Reported.
: The ICC order stated that roads
with less than a nine-day supply
of fuel may get additional coal
by applying to the agency's serv-
ice bureau.
A number of carriers besides
the c. d o. reported only small
stocks of coal on hand. The
Pennsylvania said it had q two
week supply, the New York Gen.
tral enough for 10 days and the
Louisville & Nashville enough
to last II or IL days. ....
The ICC said that because of
the extreme" coal shortage, the
ability of the carriers Ito ade-
quately perform car service and
their common-carrier duties in
the interest Of the public and
commerce Of the people is seri-
OuSly CnreateneQ.
President Truman has said he
j.. would not hesitate to use the
Taft-Hartley Act in the coal con-
, troversy when he believes a real
. national emergency has developed.
But there was no sign that the
: White House views the present
supply situation as . serious
: threat to the country's health or
safety.
Earlier Delay Cited.
Officials pointed out that the
President did not invoke the Taft
Hartley Act and its court injunc-
ton toward the end Of the miners
. S2-day strike when the fuel short
age was much more serious than
at the present time.
The mines have been producing
about 100000 tons of soft coal
. week under the Lewis three-day
week. something like 100000
tons below the normal output.
However, coal consumption at
this time of year usually runs
ahead Of production.
In each Of the next two holiday
weeks the miners will be on the
job only two days. That will mean
that coal supplies will be reduced
~${11 y,ooya ror}jlv
Some coal retailers have warned
that the supply situation has
reached the emergency stage. But
UNIV Vice President Thomas Ken
nedy declared yesterday that the
public should not be misled by
the distorted untruths from either
the industry or retailers" Some
Federal officials were inclined also
to view the reports of shortage as
part Of . propaganda" campaign
to force the Government to take
action against the UNIV.
Temporary Expedient.
'sThe operators and the dealers
have money invested In this en-
terprise." Mr.. Kennedy said, "but
the mine workers have their lives
and their livelihood invested"
Mr.. Kennedy said the three-day
week is q temporary expedient"
intended to speed settlement of
the coal dispute. |
"The only alternative, he added,
would have been complete STOP
page to bring about the making Of
such an agreement"
Mr.. Lewis is seeking a 15-cent
increase in the present 20-cents-
Atom royalty the mine operators
pay into the UNIV welfare fund,
plus q SIS daily wage.
He said yesterday that he had
signed new contracts on those
terms with miness producing
2,e6s,58 tons q year-bringing the
total tonnage under contract to
1921, ,723. The Nations annual
output Of bituminous coal is over
SOC, ,000, 900 tons.