Evening star., 1949-07-17

Pu6A1Ss
Mr.. Lewis order for q three,
the Mississippi River is the latest
an essential national industry that
has priced itself out Of a declining
market. In addition to getting his
United Mine Workers into a better
bargaining position with the
operators on a new contract. the
ruggedly individualistic labor die
tator is determined to bring about
permanent stabilization" Of the
work of his 400. 900 union members.
He has announced that he would
prefer to do this with the CO.
operation Of the mine owners but,
falling that, he will do 1t himself
Hearings Indefinite
Some Of the larger Northern
operators have shown a willing
ness to join with the Lewis sta
bilization" plan and there have
been substantial reports that they
are considering the appointment
of Harry M. Moses. 52-year-old
president of the H. C. Frick Coke
Co.. a United States Steel sub
sidiary, as q single spokesman or
GEAR" Of the bituminous producers.
The final decision. this writer
learns. is In allegiance until the
conclusion of negotiations over a
new contract.
Under this plan Mr.. Lewis
would speak and act for the
miners and Mr.. Moses, or some
person like him, would do the
same for the mine owners. The
prospect Of such q situation
caused Senator Willis Robertson.
Democrat, Of Virginia to propose
that the Senate Banking and
Currency Committee investigate
the suspected deal. but as yet
no date has been set for hearings.
They probably will be held after
the contract negotiations are fin-
ished because the principal wit
nesses are busy with discussions.
Senator Robertson's interests are
with the Southern coal
producers, many Of whom are
against the so-called GEAR" or
"co-ordinator" plan. The Senate
investigation could determine Cd
whether the "stabilization" plan
would violate the antitrust laws
laws, (2) whether 1t disregards
the interests of the consumer and
the general public and Cd
whether it could be applied to
other industries such as steel,
automobiles, shoes. textiles, chem
lcals and electrical goods.
Legal Question Arises
Because OF the antitrust laws
the operators have been reluctant
10 Join with Lewis in stabilizing
he soft coal industry. although
! work and tonnage ALLEGATION
olan is already in force in the
anthracite field, with the ofncial
approval of the State Of Penn
;ylvania and the tacit consent OF
the Federal Government. At the
recent White Sulphur. w. Va.
contract negotiations the opera
;ors refused to join with Lewis
q the three-day week restriction
70 he ordered it on his own au-
,hority for mines east Of the Mis-
;issippi.
If the UNIV acts alone it is
apparently exempt from prosecu-
ton under the antitrust laws
md Supreme Court decisions.
Under these same statutes and
interpretations, however. there
would be a definite legal issue OF
conspiracy to restrain trade II
the UNIV were Joined in re-
strictive practices by the employ
ers' groups.
The question thereby arises as
to how far the UNIV and the
operators could stabilize, cooper
ate or coordinate on production.
George H. Love, president OF
the Pittsburgh Consolidated Coal
Co.. the worlds largest CONNER
cial coal producer. asserted that
the appointment of a single spokes-
man for the operators would not
be to establish q czar" or limit"
or to create an "in-
dustrial monopoly to match the
labor monopoly"
THE purpose, he said, els SIM
ply to bring order and dignity
into labor relations Of the indus
try and to avoid the chaos which
has too often attended labor ne
gotiations and inconvenienced the
public"
CHALLENGED Operators
Mr.. Love continued that man
representative like MIR.
Moses, In addition to wage nego-
siations. would concern himself
With carrying out the terms Of
he agreements. Interpretation Of
and greater safety in
mines. Other management spokes-
nen have insisted that Mr.. Moses,
,r some other operators official.
would merely be the successor Of
he late Charles O'Neill, who bat
led with Mr.. Lewis for many
ears. The new representative,
hey say. would have nothing
whatever to do with production.
That would not satisfy Mr..
lewis, who as early as last Octo-
Der. at the 10th annual UNIV
convention, threw down this chal-
enge to the soft coal operators
md the Federal Government:
I'VE have not yet been able to
work out with the bituminous coal
operators any kind of nationally
stabilized arrangement, simply
because there is no national lead |