TRUMAN TO SPEAK

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1946, Page 7

TRUMAN TO SPEAK

. / Nation Facing Economic Paralysis APPEAL TO MINERS (Recd. 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 5. White House announced that President Truman will make a nation-wide radio speech at 2.30 a.m. G.M.T. on Monday, in which he will appeal to the coalminers to return to work. The Solid Fuels Administration has called on the State Governments to take the strongest measures immediately to conserve coal. It is emphasised that the strike in May and the pre- . sent walk-out “placed the nation at the very brink of economic paralysis and threatened unprecedented hardship and suffering during the winter. Every community is faced with the possibility of having insufficient coal to preserve its health.” The newspaper P.M. in an editorial on the Lewis case says that whatever legal victory the Government has won has been purchased at a monstrously high price. “If the strike continues for several more weeks, industry and transport will be paralysed. Labour is further embittered and the nation’s hysterical tension has deepened. It is unthinkable that America should continue along this tragic path because it is caught in a feud in which each side has gpne too far to extricate itself.”

M'r. Lewis’s lawyers have lodged an appeal to the United States ( Circuit Court against his own and the U.M.W.A.’s conviction for contempt of court in not averting the coal-miners’ walkout. The lawyers have also lodged with the Federal Court a bond for Mr. Lewis’s personal fine of 10,000 dollars and the union’s fine of 3,500,000 dollars pending the-re-sult of the appeal. Simultaneously, the A.F.L. presi- • dent Mr. William Green, who is now a close associated of Mr. Lewis, issued a statement urging a conference in an effort to settle the dispute. “The Ration’s coal-miners will interpiet the heavy penalty imposed on them and their leader as an attempt to wreck the union. This will serve to develop, a more hostile psychological condition throughout the nation’s mining areas. The resort to the use of an injunction violates the Norris-La Guardia Act. Labour is confident that Judge Goldsborough’s decision will be reversed. Force and punishment and involuntary servitude do not square with the principles of justice and democracy. Working men must be free. They are determined to remain free.” T The president of the C. 1.0., Mr. Philip Murray, announced that the C. 1.0. is joining with Mr. Lewis in the appeal against the contempt convictions. “We have learned through bitter experience of other countries that liberty is indivisable and a blow at the miners’ liberties is a blow at the liberties of all of us.” Mr. Murray described Judge Goldsborough’s decision as a “shocking attempt to force American citizens to work against their will through economic coercion.” Mr. Murray and Mr. Lewis have been bitter enemies as the result of Mr. Lewis’s breakaway from the. C. 1.0. after Mr. Murray succeeded him as president.

PENALTY RESENTED

AMERICAN MINE STRIKE CONTINUES MOUNTING UNREST REPORTED WASHINGTON, Dec. 4. _ Miners’ leaders in West Virginia said that the fining of Mr. Lewis and the Mine Workers’ Association would not end the strike. They said unrest was mounting among the miners, but so far no outbreaks had been reported. The general reaction was more one of dogged resentment than of violent resistance. The miners already had lost 50,000,000 dollars in United Press says the general feeling among miners in the Pitts- , burgh area was hostility to the COU .U 3 action and strong support for Mr. j Lewis. Many predicted the gravest! industrial unrest. Government attorneys indicated that ih view of the national emergency they may ask that the appea on behalf of Mr. Lewis be taken up by the Supreme Court instead of proceeding to the Appeals Court. The Supreme Court, however, may rule that the appeal must go to the Appeals Court in the normal way. The United Mine Workers’ Association must post a bond of 3,500,000 dollars if it proceeds with the appeal. It is estimated that at least 2 000,000 workers will be rendered idle throughout the nation within 10 days if the coal strike continues. The nort of New York will be paralysed within a fortnight and the nations total exports will be reduced 80 per cent.