Evening star., 1950-03-04

me LeTL OF PT6S1QenL ITI-
mans message on coal tollo,OS:
To the Congress of the United
States:
wish to report to the Congress
on the emergency confronting the
Nation as result Of a shortage o1
coal and to recommend legislative
action.
Since February 6. 1850, the pro-
duction of bituminous coal has
been dangerously curtailed. By
now, stocks of coal are almost ex-
hausted and many parts of oul
country face crisis conditions: The
anthracite coal which is being
produced. and the trickle of soft
coal output, together have beer
enough to stave off human suffer
ing. But the lack of normal pro-
duction of soft coal is bringing
many basic industries to a halt.
A variety of emergency meas
ures have been taken in recent
days and weeks. Transportation
and utility services have been cut
down. Available supplies in many
localities have been redistributeo
in order to meet the most urgent
needs. Other steps have beer
taken by States and cities, by in.
dustries and by suppliers. to con.
serve the dwindling stocks of coal
These efforts have stretched oul
national stockpile, but the can.
not add to it. Within a very few
days we shall be virtually out Of
soft coal. The danger to the ma.
tional health and safety is rea
and immediate. It requires actor
at once.
Reason for Curtailment.
The immediate reason for thu
curtailment of bituminous Goa
production is a dispute between
most Of the mine operators ane
the principal union mine work.
ers. the United Mine Workers o.
America, over the terms and con.
ditions of employment in thu
mines.
The previous contract between
the union and the operators ex.
pired June 80, 1949. In subse,
quent months, the mines operated
intermittently, while negotiation.
for new contract were under
way. But these negotiations failee
to produce agreement, and the
miners went on strike on Febru.
ary 6, 1850.
On January 81, in an effort tt
avert this situation, I asked tn,
operators and the union to agre,
to continue production, in tn,
national interest, for 10 days
while a fact-finding board re-
viewed the issues and recon.
mended fair and reasonable terms
for settlement of the dispute
While this request was accepted
by the operators, it was rejected
by the union.
Thereafter, when negotiation.
were broken off and the strike oc.
CURED, I established a Board O.
Inquiry under the Labor Nah.
agement Relations Act, 1947. 1
was this boards duty, under the
law. to find the facts and to re.
port them, but not to make rec.
concentrations.
The board reported to me or
February II. It found that dur.
ing all the months of negotiation
neither side had bargained freely
and effectively on the essential is
sues in dispute. The board also
expressed a conviction which de-
serves emphasis today. The board
concluded that 1.-The obligation
entrusted to the operators and
to the union, as the agent of the
employees, to serve in a joint stew
ardship of these vital resources
must be met. The health anc
safety OF the Nation demand
this"
On the basis of the board.
findings, along with the Other
evidence available, the ATTORNEY
General on February IL, at my
direction, requested the United
States District Court for the Dis.
trict Of Columbia to enjoin tn,
union from continuing the strik,
and to order both parties to bar.
gain in good faith. That sam,
day, the court issued a temporar,
restraining order to accomplish
these purposes.
Bargaining Renewed February Is
AS result, the parties renewed
bargaining negotiations on Febru
ary Is. The Board of Inquiry wa
reconvened and met repeated,
with the parties, in cooperation
with the. director of the Fedora
Mediation and Cancellation Serv
ice, in an effort to bring abou
agreement.
But while negotiations have con.
tinued. the miners have not re-
turned to work. On February 20
the Attorney General started pro-
ceedings against the union, charg.
ing that it had not obeyed the or,
der enjoining the continuance O
the strike, and that it was there.
fore in contempt of court. Thi
action was taken in light of tn,
TACT that the work stoppage wa.
still under way nine days after tn,
courts order. On March 2. tn,
court found that the union wa;
not in contempt.
1t is evident that the order O,
the court has not brought forth
production. The mines are still
shut down. Events since the issu.
ance of the courts order on Feb.
ruary II give us no assurance thai
court action under present Law
can. in fact, end the work stop.
page in time to avert exhaustion
OF our coal supplies.
The Nations welfare requires