Evening star., 1950-02-02
Operators Break Off UNIV Talks
Accept Truman Fact-Finding Plan;
Lewis Charges 'Servi|ity' Policy
Will Reply Soon
On Submitting
Dispute to Board
By james Y. Newton


operators today broke off the
newly revived contract negotia-
tions with John L. Lewis. They
then accepted President Truman's
proposal to submit the long coal
dispute to a fact finding board.
The operators, representing
more than half of the industry,
walked out of the conference with
Mr.. Lewis about an hour after
today's session started. Negotia-
tions were resumed only yester-
day after a lapse of more than
three months.
Mr.. Lewis Immediately accused
the operators of not wanting to
make new industry agreement
and said they were following a
policy intended to reduce "the
mine workers to state of SER
Witty"
Lewis to Answer Truman Soon.
The UNIV leader said he would
answer the President soon on the
proposal to present the contract
dispute to a three-man board to
be appointed by Mr.. Truman.
Under the Presidents plan 10
day truce, during which time full
production of coal would be re-
stored, would start next Monday
while the board was investigating
the dispute.
There were indications that the
Southern operators and the United
States Steel Corp. probably will
follow the Northern and Western
producers in agreeing to the fact
finding proposition.
George H. Love of Pittsburgh.
chief spokesman for the operators,
announced that they would accept
the Presidents plan shortly after
he led his negotiators from the
meeting with Mr.. Lewis.
1.-The operators Negotiating
Committee has decided to advise
the President that they were ac-
cepting his proposal for fact
finding board" Mr.. Love said.
Says Mines Will Be Ready. !
1.-THE mines will be ready for
normal production, beginning
February 6, as requested by the
President, and will operate to the
fullest extent possible to avoid
further inconvenience to the pub
lie and to relieve the present dis
tress of the mine workers." he
added.
Mr.. Love said he had advised
Mr.. Truman that the operators
would cooperate fully with the
proposed fact-finding board in the
hope that it may find just grounds
for fair and equitable settlement
of the current dispute"
If Mr.. Lewis refuses to agree to
the To-day mine truce President
Truman is expected to move soon
to invoke the Taft Hartley Acts
emergency injunction provisions
against the mine stoppage. Mr..
Truman gave both sides until 5
pm. Saturday to make decision
In the matter.
At a news conference this morn
ing, Mr.. Truman said his request
for strike truce did not rule out
possible action under the Taft
Hartley law. He said he would
use the Taft Hartley law whenever
an emergency developed.
100000 Now on Strike.
More than 100000 miners, most
ly in Pennsylvania and West Vir-
ginia, are now engaging in a wild
cat" strike. The entire coal indus
try has been on three-day work
week since Mr.. Lewis ordered it
December l..
Mr.. Lewis appeared grim and
bitter as he told reporters that
the operators "have taken another
walk"
"They abandoned the conference
abruptly while the mine workers
were making a motion that nego-
tiations should proceed without
advance commitment" Mr.. Lewis
said.
He said that the operators had
insisted that the miners should
agree to a half dozen conditions
before they would discuss further
parts of the contract with them.
He accused the operators of fol-