U.S. COAL STRIKE

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18552, 30 November 1925, Page 9

U.S. COAL STRIKE

PRESIDENT'S INTERVENTION.

NATION AWAITS ANNOUNCEMENT, (bt cable—friss Assoainoii—coPTJiorr.) (al-stbaljlu- asd k.z. cablx associatio);.) (Received November 29th, 0.0 p.m.) NEW' YORMv, November 27. Industry generally, as well as householders, is beginning to feel the pinch of the anthracite coal miners' strike. The anxiety is being accentuated by threats of an additional strike of softcoal miners, which would doubtless plungo many parts of the United States, particularly along the Eastern seaboard, into consternation. Such threats of a sofi>coal strike ar© contained in a letter from Mr John Lewis, president of the United) Mine Workers of America to President Coolidge, in which Mr Lewis requested the President to intervene and compel the operators to observe the agreement. President Coolidge has not yet officially .replied, but it is understood that lie greatly resents tho tone of tho letter, with its veiled threats of a further strike. Mine-owners still strenuously opposo any agreement tllat does not provide for arbitration in the settlement of disputes. In tho meantimo .the Fair Trade League is charging the anthracite operators with adulterating and misbranding products, and even selling stone amongst coal; also with profiteering, by adding unnecessary links in tho ckaiu of distribution and generally creating additional hardships, while tho Manufacturers' Association threatens an industrial boycott of tho union mines tinless tho anthracite .strike is promptly settled. Characteristically, the operators are claiming that they could mine plenty of soft coal with non-union men and the miners are claiming that large numbers of tho latter would join in the walk-out. Tho best opinion, however, seems to be that industrial turmoil would be unavoidable, as even railways would lose supplies except the few possessing their own mines. Thus the whole nation is anxiously awaiting President Coolidge's move. In the meantime, the public is being ad-vised to buy soft coal immediately.