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U.S.A. COAL CRISIS
PRODUCTION CEASES
500,000 STRIKERS
GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER MINES
WASHINGTON, May I.-At midnight last night both soft-cool and
hard-coal mining virtually ceased throughout the US and it is estimated
that over 500,000 miners are now on strike, President Roosevelt's appeal
for a return to work having been ignored. The miners are demanding a
wages increase of 2 dollars a day.
Mr Roosevelt has directed the Secretary of the Interior (Mr H. L Ickes)
in the capacity of coalfields administrator to take over the mines
immediately and make employment available, also Government sale and
distribution of cool. The Secretary of War (Mr H. L. Stimson) has been
directed to take what action he deems necessary to provide protection for
employees willing to resume work, and for property.
The President has again called on the miners to return immediately and
work for their country. He will broadcast to the nation on Monday at
noon (Australian time).
Mr Ickes said today: "The crises is grave, as we face almost immediate
curtailment of production of arms and supplies because of lack of coal."
By his order American flags are now flying over all the mines. He said
troops would be sent to the mines only if the companies requested such
protection.
While Mr John L. Lewis (president of the United Mine Workers'
Association) preserved a stubborn silence all day, operators of 4,300
bituminous and 450 anthracite mines quickly complied with Mr Ickes's
instructions and wired from all parts of the country pledges to do all in
their power to open the pits as agent4 of the Government. "The situation
is as critical as any America has faced since Pearl Harbour,"' says the
New York "Herald-Tribune."
The public is anxiously awaiting
Mr Roosevelt's nationwide broad
cast on Monday, hoping it will point
the way to an early settlement of
the strike. The dispute reached its
inevitable climax today when, the
time limit set by Mr Roosevelt for
a resumption of work having passed
without response from the union,
the President ordered the Govern
ment to take over the mines and
operate them with, if necessary,
military protection. Simultaneously
Mr Roosevelt appealed to an esti
mated 530,000 striking miners to
serve their Government as soldiers
of war production by resuming work.
Thus, as a majority of the news
papers have been quick to point out,
the weeks-long dispute finally
cystllised into a personal struggle
between Mr Roosevelt and Mr John
L. Lewis. Mr Roosevelt's executive
order taking over the mines was
issued 1 hour and 25 minutes after
the expiry of his ultimatum to the
UMWA.
In order to stretch available coal
stocks Mr Ickes (who the Press
has dubbed "'the American Coal
Czar") has ordered the elimination
of all unessential railroad travel for
the duration of the strike, also a 25
per cent reduction in passenger
train milage. According to the
"New York Times" he is also ready
to declare a nationwide dim-out for
conservation of coal.
President's Broadcast.
Mr Roosevelt's private secretary
(Mr S. Early) said with reference
to the President's broadcast on Mon
day: ""The President will make a
brief but very important statement
over all networks. It is safe to sur
mise that he will deal bluntly with
the need for coal to win the war."
Mr Early refused to comment on a
published report that an order had
been prepared directing the army to
move in to the coalfields.
Meanwhile Mr Roosevelt's "ulti
matum" to the miners expired at 10
o'clock this morning, with the work
ers following Mr Lewis's instruction
"nriot to trespass" on mine property.
An UMWA spokesman estimated
that 515.000 miners were on strike
and another 15,000 west of the Mis
sissippi were operating temporarily
under the 5-day notification clause
in their agreement.
Addressing the strikers Mr RQose
velt .aid: "Except for a few mines
production has virtually ceased. The
national interest is in peril. I call
on all miners to return to the mines
immediately and work for their
Government. The country needs
their services as much as those of
the armed forces. I am confident
that they do not wish to retard the
war effort, that they are as patriotic
as any American, and that they will
promptly answer this call to perform
essential war service."
Assurances to Miners.
The President again reassured the
strikes that investigation into liv
ing ?ats was going on and that the
Government would insist that prices
be held within the limits of his re
cent executive order and violations
would be prosecuted. He said that
whenever the miners submitted their
case to the War Labour Board it
would be determined promptly and
fairly and any adjustment in wages
would be retrospective.
Mr Roosevelt concluded: "Produc
tion of coal must and shall con
tinue."
Meanwhile Mr Ickes instructed
3,400 soft-coal companies to take
over and run the pits and "fly the
Stars and Stripes as an indication
that they are working exclusively
for Uncle Sam." Similar instruc
tions are being prepared for the
hard-coal mines.
The President specifically in
strutted Mr Ickes "to recognise the
workers' right to continue member
ship of any labour organisation"
and to bargain collectively, "provided
such concerted activities do not in
terfere with the operation of the
mines."
The Associated Press says it is
believed that Mr Roosevelt's radio
appeal will be heavily depended on
to get the workers back to the
mines. Mr Lewis, who is still nego
tiating with the owners for a new
agreement covering the hard coal
industry, refused to comment on
Mr Roosevelt's action in taking over
the mines.
"All Quiet So Far."
Reports from the minefields in
dicate that all is quiet so far. Mr
Adolph Pacifico, mion vice-president
in the eastern Ohio coal belt, said
"The boys are setting mad. They
are not goirog let anybody kick
them arounc but they are not going
to cause trouble."
Previous sei?ires of individual
plants presented a slight problem
compared with that of taking over
all America's coalmines. many of
which are in spamrely settled regions.
The problem of ollcing 3,000 mines
is said to be giving the suthorites
some concern as they do not wish to
use military forces munless it is abso
lutely necessary.
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