Evening star., 1950-03-08
Anthracite Pact Near;
Court States Hearing
On Contempt Appeal
By jones Y. Newton

operators repeatedly were near
agreement today on a new con-
tract.
The agreement, when COM
pleted, would set up working con-
ditions in the hard coal mines
located mostly in Pennsylvania.
The anthracite mines have been
working a three-day week on Mr.
Lewis orders since December S.
Signing of a contract would nail
down peace over the entire coaI
industry Tor at least a year. Mr.
Lewis won a new contract for
the larger soft-coal industry Sum-
day night.
Welfare Payments at Issue.
It appeared the new contract
would contain the same monetary
agreements that were reached by
the soft coal miners.
UNIV negotiators. headed by
Union Vice President Thomas
Kennedy. were said to be asking
hard coal operators for an in
crease of Is cents per ton ip pay
ments to the union welfare and
retirement fund. If granted, the
increase would raise total hard
coal welfare payments to 35 cents.
The soft coal operators, under
their new contract. pay 80 cents a
ton into their welfare fund.
In demanding the higher well
fare contribution, UNIV negotia-
tors point out that the average
daily per worker output is only
about three tons of anthracite
compared to six and a half tons in
the soft coal fields. Union spokes-
men also noted that anthracite
sells for a much higher price than
soft coal.
In another development in the
coal situation, the District Court
of Appeals set April 26 for hearing
the Governments appeal from the
District Court acquittal OF the
UNIV on contempt charges in con-
nection with the recent soft coal
strike.
Court Speeds Procedure.
A three-judge panel in the
appellate court heard Assistant
Attorney General H. Graham
Morrison ask for a forthwith
hearing on the appeal. The three
judges were Chief Justice Harold
M. Stephens and Judges E. Bar
rett Prettyman and Charles Fahy.
In setting the hearing for April
rs. the court speeded up its normal
procedure, but did not grant as
early a hearing as Mr.. Morrison
wanted.
Judge Stephens said this is an
important case and the court is
anxious for early disposition of it
regardless of the fact that the
emergency (the soft coal strike)
is over" The court gave Mr..
Morrison until March 20 to file a
written brief and UNIV Counsel
Welly K. Hopkins until April IA to
enter his arguments.
Railroads Recall Workers.
The appeal is from the decision
Of Judge Richmond B. Keech of
District Court, who found the
UNIV not guilty of both criminal
and civil contempt charges. The
charges were brought by the Gov
ernment because the union failed
to end the coal strike in COM
pliance with a restraining order
of Judge Keech.
The conferences on the con-
tract to cover the hard coal
miners were in their second day
here after a shift from New York.
Meantime. there were these other
developments in the coal situa-
ton:
/. The Nations railroads re-
called thousands of furloughed
workers today after the Inter-
state Commerce Commission an
nounced all restrictions on coal
burning freight service will be
lifted at midnight. The so per
cent cut on coal-burning passen-
ger service also was lifted except
for carriers having less than a
Today supply of coal.
Nearly All Miners at Work.
2. Steel and other industries hit
hard by the soft coal shortage also
headed back to normal. Nearly
all of the soft coal miners were
back on the job producing badly
needed coal.
3. President Truman's request
for a commission to study the
coal industry and it's problems ran
into Republican proposals that
the survey include ways to deal
with critical strikes.
Suggestions for broadening Mr.
Truman's program came from
=. Republican Senators Butler o1
Nebraska and Watkins of Utah.
Both are members of the Senate
Interior Committee. The grour
will start hearings soon on tht
Presidents plan and on similar
legislation introduced by three
other Senators.
Mine Seizure Bill Withdrawn.
Mr.. Truman yesterday Withdrew
the mine seizure bill which he sen
to Congress last Friday before
settlement of the soft coal strike
In letters to Vice Presiden
Barkley and House Speaker Ray
burn, the President renewed hi
request for the coal study com
mission and submitted a bill t.
establish a nine-member investi
eating group.
Senator Butler noted that tn
President, in outlining the scop