Evening star., 1950-01-10
Senators Study
Antitrust Move
In Mine Strike
Ferguson Plans Move
To Ask Truman to Use
Toft-HortIey Act
By Robert K. Walsh

week conditions.
The Senate banking committee
sharply denounced John L. Lewis
three-day mine week and asked
for study to determine whether
the antitrust laws should be ap-
piled to labor unions. The COM
mittee approved. 10 to 0, a report
charging the mine workers took
it upon themselves to usurp the
Congress exclusive right to legis-
late on production and price con-
trolls"
The report. covering an investi-
CATION of coal industry operations
which the committee made last
summer, also declared that the
Lewis order imposing a three day
work-week is "the very antithesis
OF collective bargaining"
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
Of Michigan, was ready to intro
duce a resolution asking President
Truman to use his emergency
powers under the Taft-Hartley
Act to end the tfree-day coal min
ing week ordered December / by
John l.. Lewis.
Lewis Firm in Demands.
The United Mine Workers pres
ident held to his demands that
mine owners sign contracts on
UNIV terms. The old contract
expired last July /. The union
wants a 95-cents-a-day wage in
crease for miners now getting
s14.05, and a 15-cent increase in
the present 20-cent tonnage
royalty for the miners welfare
fund.
Reasons for the strike that is
under way In various areas re-
mained something of a mystery
UNIV officials denied the walk
outs were ordered by union head
quarters. Industry spokesmen as
serted the walkout pattern" was
another attempt by Mr.. Lewis to
needle mine operators into signing
a contract.
Many Of the striking miners
indicated they did not know why
they were striking. Some said
their UNIV locals decided the
move. Others declared they were
staying of the job because that's
the healthy thing to do when
there's a strike on"
Scores Of Mines Closed.
In any event, scores of mines
were shut down today in Pennsyl-
West Virginia. Kentucky,
Alabama, Virginia. Ohio and Utah.
The number of striking miners
swelled from about $4,000 yester-
day to $1,000 today when the
number idle grew 1000 in Ala
bama and the strike spread to
three more pits operated by steel
companies. That, however, was
only about one-eighth of the
100000 employed in the soft coal
industry.
Recalling that about 10000 Illi-
nois miners left the pits for sew
eral days last week, some indus
try sources predicted the present
walkout would also end without
warning. Another walkout then
might start somewhere else, they
said. No full-scale work stoppage
is expected.
Most Of the current strikes
affect captive mines owned by the
United States Steel Corp. and
other steel companies as well as
the Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal
Co., the largest producer.
Truman Denies Emergency.
President Truman, meanwhile,
has taken the position that the
situation has not reached an
emergency stage warranting use
of the injunction clause of the
Taft Hartley Act.
Neither the President nor Rob-
ert N. Denham, general counsel
Of the National Labor Relations
Board. has shown any signs of
acting on demands that they seek
court injunctions to force miners
back on q flve-day week. Mr..
Denham. however. sent word to
reporters yesterday that he would
not decide before tomorrow or
later this week whether to seek
such action.
Fears Truman Would Ignore It.
The resolution Senator Fergu-
son plans to introduce would
amount to a recommendation to
the President. Representative VOL
colt, Republican. Of Michigan said
he favored it but thought Presi-
dent Truman would ignore it.
Senator Gillette, Democrat of
Iowa, yesterday asked President
Truman to take whatever action
he can to increase coal supplies.
He described the Iowa situation as
$50 acute = 1t cannot be overem-
phasized."
Many miners went back to
work today as Southwest Virginia
operations of the Clinchfield Coal
Corp. ending a strike which be-
gan six days ago and spread to
(See COAL. Page A-4.)
Aegean Volcano Erupts
ATHENS. Jan. 10 (P.-The vol
- u