U.S. COAL STRIKE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24093, 1 November 1943, Page 4

U.S. COAL STRIKE

1 MR ROOSEVELT’S THREAT (Rec. 8,30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 30. “If the coalminers do not accept the board's decision on wages by Monday I shall take decisive action to see the coal mined. We can no more tolerate letting down coal production than letting down shipping supplies to the fighting men.” This was staled by Mr Roosevelt in a letter to the War Lahour Board. W. a Mr Roosevelt said the board’s prpjl : bosal would give the miners 54 dollafifE 1 for 51 hours portal to portal for aY" ! six-day week, which is eight and a half , dollars more than they were receiving * for 42 hours’ actual work at the work* ■ ing places in the mines. 5 Mr John L. Lewis, president of the : > United Mine Workers of America, ■ however, asserted that the plan would ■ cut the wage four and a half cents an ) hour. Mr Harold L. Ickes. Fuel Controller, t “froze” all railroad coal to create a 3 pool of 1.000,000 tons. It is estimated * 5 that 90,660 miners are on strike. E There are now 100.000 miners bn t strike with indications that many more i will cease work to-morrow, i In an eleventh-hour effort to avert • another paralysing coal strike, the > War Labour Board has notified the miners that it is willing to meet the - criticism of the board’s contract by ini setting a Clause guaranteeing miners I against loss under the new wage ; structure. This offer was suggested by i: Mr Roosevelt. The board announced that it was I ready to ban some street lighting and 1 electric advertising and perhaps divert ) some coal stocks from utility industries , to war plants.