Evening star., 1949-11-11
Lewis 10 Be Sounded
On Fact-Finding Idea
In Coal Controversy
BY the Associated Press

~ NV |ssSS'aiS6 f'ess
The Government was reported
ready today to sound out John L.
Lewis on letting a fact finding
board recommend a settlement in
the coal dispute. 1t would be-
selected by President Truman. 4
Mr.. Lewis is known to be op-
posed to the idea. Still, officials
said the White House wants tc
give him the same chance as was
given his rival, Philip Murray of
the CIO, in the steel. strike.
A three-man board appointed
by the President in the steel dis
pute without resorting to the
Taft-Hartley labor law suggested
a peace plan that helped pave
the way for eventual strike-set-
ting steel agreements.
Lewis Opposes U. S. Moves.
Mr.. Lewis told reporters several
weeks ago he is against fact.
finding boards or any other Gov
eminent attempts to settle his
demands on the coal industry.
Cyrus Ching, Federal mediation
chief gave the White House re-
view of the strike situation in a
30-minute talk today with John
r. Steelman, presidential assist
ant.
White House Press Secretary
Charles G.. Ross said: There was
nothing newt was just the usual
review of the situation"
Operators Appear Willing.
Administration officials evidently
are determined to do everything
possible to avoid a new coal strike
December / when Mr.. Lewis pres
ent truce expires. The president
of the United Mine Workers put
the miners back to work Wednes-
day for the rest of this month,
after 52-day walkout.
Mine operators have indicated
they are willing to cooperate with
a presidential fact-f1nding board
that might point out the way to
avoid q new strike.
The advantage of a fact-finding
board in coal, administration off,
cials said. would be that it would
at least give Mr.. Lewis and the
operators starting point for an
agreement. They have hardly
scratched the surface of their
problems since the old contract
expired on July /.
There was some speculation that
Mr.. Truman might try the fact
finding idea anyway. even with
out any promise from Mr.. Lewis
to go along with it. There would
be no legal obligation to accept
such a board.
Functions Restricted.
A board. empowered to recon-
mend peace terms is different
than the type authorized by the
Taft Hartley Act. A board named
under the act Is restricted only
to reporting on facts involved in
. dispute, and the report is pre-
liminary to seeking a court in
junction to bar a strike.
Mr.. Truman. pledged to repeal
Taft Hartley. has avoided using
1t in either the steel or coal dis
putes so far. But he has said he
will use it If Necessary.
Mr.. Ching apparently has the
task Of sounding out Mr.. Lewis
on the fact-finding idea. /
Mr.. Lewis kept his whereabouts
q secret following his strike-end
announcement in Chicago We'd
nesday. but finally turned up at
the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New
York.
The UNIV head refused to see
reporters at his hotel room or to
say anything at all about efforts
to settle the coal dispute.
Reached by telephone, he said,
There is no point in seeing you.
I have nothing to say. I have no
comment. Thank you. Good-by."
He hung up.
Mediators conceded gloom over
prospects Of getting Mr.. Lewis
and coal operators together talk !
ing on a peace plan. And even |,
If that can be done, they said, |
they saw little ground for believ-
ing much could be accomplished. |
A meeting between operators
and Mr.. Lewis which Mr.. Ching
had arranged yesterday fell
through when Mr.. Lewis failed
to show UP. He sent curt word
he could come Monday, but Mr..
Ching said that wouldn't be sat
tsfactory. So there were no meet
ings in sight.
Mr.. Lewis wants more pay and
shorter hours for miners and an
increase in the royalty financing
their welfare fund. The oper-
ators contend competition with
other fuels won't permit them to
take on more costs now that
would cause higher coal prices.
They also want stricter controls
over the welfare fund.