MAY BE SEIZED BY STATE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 50, 22 November 1941, Page 10

MAY BE SEIZED BY STATE

Closed American Mines STRIKES CONTINUE TO SPREAD (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) WASHINGTON, November 20. Defence officials hinted tonight, as reports came in of shootings in connexion with the coal strike and the. spread of sympathy strikes in commercial collieries, that legislation will be submitted promptly for Government seizure of the closed mines, authorizing their operation by the State, and forbidding labour leaders or pickets to interfere with production.

A defence Spokesman said that 50.000 soldiers are standing by ready to intervene, if necessary, but the Government does not want to use troops. The Government however, would not give in. The outlook at present for a settlement is poor. It is estimated that nearly 100,000 miners have walked out of commercial collieries in sympathy witli 53,000 strikers from the steel company mines. Three men were shot but not seriously injured in a fresh outburst of violence in the Fayette county coalfields. Non-strikers attempting to go to work clashed with pickets and about 100 shots were fired. Later a fusillade of shots struck the mine superintendent’s car when he drove through the picket nines, but he escaped injury. The national convention of the Congress of Industrial Organizations in Detroit passed a motion declaring that the C. 1.0. will utilize to the utmost degree the Government mediation facilities and will do all in its power to cooperate with the Government and industry to achieve maximum defence production. The convention appealed to the Government and to industry to recognize Labour’s participation in the formulation and administration of national policies which were essential in the endeavour to defeat Hitlerism.