Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-06-09
Slump in Coal Market
Blamed for WaIkout
Ordered by Lewis

Nearly q half million coal min
ers will begin q week-long work
stoppase Monday in application
of John L. Lewis own formula
for taking care OF o%erproduction
and "stabilizing" the coal indus
try.
Mr.. Lewis ordered the shutdown
of both anthracite and soft coal
mines in q letter TO all members
of his United Mine Workers. Mine
operators on the whole did not
appear too displeased at the move.
although they wondered where
the contractural right TO call the
stoppage came from Slumping
markets have dropped the indus
try into the economic doldrums.
A likely result OF the holiday
will be to lessen the chance for
Taft-Hartley Act repeal and its
replacement by a milder law more
to the liking OF labor. The Senate
now is debating repeal and Con-
gress already had an eye cooked
in Mr.. Lewis direction.
Has Limited Effect.
The strike will have no effect
on the Nations economy other
than the segment engaged in
mining. transporting and process
ing OF coal. Big coal-hauling rail-
roads are expected to layof some
tens OF thousand of workers as
they always do during a mine
strike.
BY his action Mr.. Lewis did
serve the operators with another
notice Of his power on the eve Of
crucial new contract negotiations.
The mine workers contract with
the soft coal industry. employing
four fifths OF the workers. expires
June 80. Since the national supply
of mined coal Is held to be suffi-
cient to last 50 days, a weeks
stoppage hardly would dent stock
piles enough for strategic applica-
ton of the miners mo contract.
no work" policy after the contract
runs out.
This period of inaction." Mr..
Lewis told the miners, will en-
phasize a lack Of general stability
in the industry and the dangers
which will accrue therefrom If
current harmful practices are not
remedied.
The mine workers are required
again to protect affirmatively the
human and property values in
herent In the coal mining indus
try"
Gave Warning Last Fall.
It was recalled that at the UNIV
convention last fall Mr.. Lewis
served blunt warning on the in
dustry that IL bad times returned
and the employers did nothing to
spread work among all the miners,
the union would take matters into
It's own hands. He said all OF the
workers would share in whatever
work there was to be done.
Mr.. Lewis has not revealed his
demands for a new contract, but a
major one is expected to deal with
the, share work" idea, either in
the form of shorter working time
or a more formal plan.
He said the weeks shutdown
will be a good thing all around.
Some Of the mine owners agreed.
Many mines have been working
only two and three days o week.
compared with five days a
year ago. - = s..e4<.
MANY Producers Glad"
Many producers will be glad to
see a shutdown" an industry
source at Pittsburgh commented.
1T has been all outgo and little
income recently because OF supply
backlogs."
Some of the owners accused
Mr.. Lewis of violating the con-
tract by calling out the miners
before the expiration date. Among
those were j. Atlee Schafer. presi-
dent of the American Coal As
ISOLATION. and Walter r. Thur
mond, secretary of the Southern
Coal Producers Association.
Typical reaction Of the miners
came from one man who said:
John l.. has always been right for
us before. hasn't he?"
Negotiations for a new coal con-
tract have been listless and fruit
less.
BARGAINING Breaks Up.
Bargaining sessions with South
ern producers at Bluefield. w. Va,
broke UP yesterday with both sides
calling names. Mr.. Lewis is due to
start separate contract talks with
the United States Steel Corp. for
its mines at Philadelphia next
Monday, the day the strike be-
gins.
The big contract stumbling