Evening star., 1952-10-22
Officials Weigh
Boost in Miners
Fringe Benefits
Some Believe Increus,
Would Pave Way for
Settlement of Strike
By jones Y. Newton

By jones Y. Newton
Quiet efforts to end the three
day soft coal strike were under
way today, but it was far from
certain that they would be sue
cessful.
Federal officials said there were
several ways open for settlement
of the strike, providing John L.
Lewis, head of the striking United
Mine Workers, and their en-
ployers, the mine operators. were
amenable to suggestion.
The plan most widely discussed
was for the miners to receive in
fringe" benefits the equivalent of
the 40 cents per day the Wage
Sterilization Board said they can't
have by way of wage increase.
Raise Cut to $1.5O.
The strike was touched off when
the WSB ruled Saturday that the
miners, under wage control rules.
could get only $1.5O of the $190
per day wage boost which the op-
orators recently agreed to give
them.
One way to bridge the gap, an
extend the paid vacation period of
the miners. The Today vacation
now received by the miners is less
tran that in other industries. For
example, it is less than in steel.
Also the miners are not paid
for holidays they do not work.
as are many other workers. 1t
is believed that some such plan
would be acceptable to the Wage
Board. Another possibility would
be for a small increase Of oper-
ator payments into the UNIV
welfare and retirement fund.
WSB ruled the recent 10-cents-
per-ton boost in the fund was not
renewable.
Won't Return to Work.
But it was not clear whether
any of these settlement schemes
would be acceptable to either Mr..
Lewis or the operators. However,
conversations concerning them
were going on.
One thing was clear. It was
that the miners will not return
to work, and all 375,000 of them
represented by the UNIV in soft
coal were out, unless they get
the lost 40 cents or the equivalent
thereof.
Mr.. Lewis made that clear in a
bitter letter late yesterday to
Harry M. Moses. president of the
Bituminous Coal Operators AS
sociation. It was Mr.. Moses who
negotiated the first contract with
Mr.. Lewis providing for the $1.90
per day extra pay.
In the letter, Mr.. Lewis sug-
gested that Mr.. Moses appeal and
ask for review and reversal" of
the WSB decision. There was no
immediate indication Mr.. Moses
would attempt such a step.
Assails Attempted Thievery."
Mr.. Lewis described the board
cutback as attempted thievery"
and he denounced public and in
dustry members of the board who
voted for it. He also attack Eco
nomic Stabilizer Roger L. Putnam,
who supported the board majority.
Labor members of the board
were to release their foraml dis
sent from the majority opinion
today. There were signs it would
be hot" although a report the
labor members would resign was
denied.
Mr.. Lewis described the four
industry members of the WSB as
agents of the National Associa-
ton of Manufacturers" These, he
said, aided by the public members.
"a professor from the Harvard
Law School and his timid trio of
dilettante associates" WSB Chair
man Archibald Cox is on leave
from Harvard.
This whole group, Mr.. Lewis
added, form a cabal to steal a
day from each mineworker."
"Stealing Milk From Babies"
He said the board really was
stealing milk from the babies OF
the miners. Of Mr.. Putnam, Mr.
Lewis added:
MIR. Putnam is an honorable
man and comes from a good New
England family. His only sadis-
tic trait is his penchant for
robbing miners babies of life
giving milk. It is true that Mr..
Putnam occasionally blows a
mental fuse. For instance, COM
pare his recent $3.50 per ton in
crease for the steel companies
which he held was not inf1a-
tionary and endangers the Re-
public"
Mr.. Lewis said neither he nor
the UNIV had suggested that the
miners should strike. They, he
added. are acting as individuals
and they will work when you
honor" the new contract.
Effects of the strike on railroad
employment was spreading. The
Baltimore & Ohio announced the
furlough Of more than 5000
workers, and other workers were
laying off employees.