MOVE TO RE-OPEN MINES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 182, 30 April 1941, Page 7

MOVE TO RE-OPEN MINES

Coal Hold-up In U.S.A. averting serious SITUATION

(By Telegraph—Press Asc>n. —Copyright.) (Received April 29, 11.30 p.m.)

WASHINGTON, April 28.

The White House announced that 13 southern coal operators had accepted President Roosevelt’s proposal for reopening the mines while the wage negotiations continue.

It was announced earlier that Mr. John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, had offered to re-open the northern coal mines if the Government would agree to feed and protect the southern miners who are still striking.

The President’s secretary, Mr. Stephen Early, speaking before these announcements were made, said that Mr. Roosevelt was intensive study of the coal deadlock. Mr. Early said that the situation was very serious. .

Mr. Roosevelt planned to confer specially with Mr. Davis, acting-chair-man of the Mediation Board, and survey its unsuccessful efforts to settle the dispute. The Southern Railroad Company announced today that it is temporarily suspending the- services on 21 routes in the southern States in order to save coal for the main line service. Fortytwo trains will be stopped after tonight. Only 20 days’ coal supply remains.

Many of the defence industries are already hampered as a result of a shortage of coal. The Supreme Court today ruled that the National Labour Relations Board can require an employer to hire men who had been denied employment because of union connections. The House Naval Affairs Committee today approved a request by the Office of Production Management for broad powers to impose priorities and ration all materials needed for the production of war supplies for the United States and Britain. Employment Problem.

Mr. James Kemper, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, at the chamber’s annual meeting, said that every employed person must do 25 per cent, more work if both defence and civilian needs were to be fulfilled. “We must either work more or go without some of the things which we have won,” he said. “The present high level of business activity is being sustained by defence production and by the efforts to help Britain. ‘“Business and industry must begin now to develop a comprehensive postwar employment programme for the time when a wholesale need for employment will again become acute." ■ Mr. Kemper submitted a scheme calling for private and public business interests to co-operate in investigation and research with the aim of utilizing to the utmost resources and economic assets in a comprehensive post-war reconstruction employment programme.

Mr. Kemper concluded by urging that America should take a leaf out of Britain’s book. “Britain,” he said, “under the very guns and bombs of Germany, and pressed as we certainly are not, is nevertheless very careful not to cripple industry producing for the foreign trade. Let us produce all out in order to help Britain, but do not let us make the mistake of completely disrupting our economy by a hysterical derangement of normal production.”

NEUTRALITY PATROLS

Extension To Australia Thought Likely

WASHINGTON, April. 28. The Australian Minister, Mr. Casey, conferred with the secretary of State, Mr. Hull, today and conveyed assurances of unity within Australia and with Britain regarding the prosecution of the war. Mr. Casey presented copies of the statements by Messrs. Curtin and Fadden at which Mr. Hull expressed his pleasure and satisfaction at these proofs of Australia’s unity in the war effort.

Mr. Casey and Mr. Hull then lengthily discussed important and interesting long-range views about the Far East. Mr. Casey, interviewed afterward, said: “We explored the fairly wide field of influence of current American, policy as regards the Pacific area, in which Australia is greatly interested.” Mr. Casey declined to give details or explain the meaning of this, but wellinformed persons -believe that the subject was the use of patrols in the Pacific. In the light of President Roosevelt’s statement it is now considered very likely that (the United States may shortly arrange neutrality patrols to Australia. Commenting on his assurances to Mr. Hull, Mr. Casey said, “The admirable and clear pronouncements by John Curtin and Arthur Fadden have entirely cleared away all misapprehensions aroused here last week by the reports of war disunity in Australia.” The “New York Post,” in a leader today, says:— “The Germans are making much of Australia’s purported discontent over the British defeat in Greece. We would advise the Nazis not to pitch their hopes too high. This is the kind of democratic discontent which won the last war. Of course, one could hardly expect followers of Nazism to understand that complete unity on fundamentals can exist alongside sharp disagreement over specific plans, campaigns, or events. The Nazi mind is ungeared to such concepts. . . . An Aussie with a good healthy grouch is just a normal Aussie, functioning as he is accustomed to function.”

LINDBERGH RESIGNS COMMISSION

Sequel To President’s Criticism

NEW YORK, April 28.

Colonel Lindbergh, who a few days ago was criticised by President Roosevelt for ids pro-Axis sentiments, has resigned his commission in the United States Army Air Corps Reserve. Colonel Lindbergh, in a letter to the President announcing his resignation, said that Mr. Roosevelt’s remarks to the Press left him no honourable alternative. PREPARING U.S. BASE AT ANTIGUA LONDON, April 28. A message from Antigua, in the Leeward Islands, says that a United States dredger arrived there today to dredge a harbour for use as a United States naval and air base. This Is one of the British iwssessions over which the United States was granted the right to establish such bases