American Coal Strike Is Spreading

Northern Advocate, 19 November 1941, Page 5

American Coal Strike Is Spreading

(Rec. 2.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Nov. 18 At Pittsburg 7500 coal miners voted to strike tomorrow in sympathy with the striking workers of the Steel Trust Coal Mines. Violence broke out again today in Pennsylvania and West Virginia coalfields when United Mine Workers’ pickets attempted to persuade recalcitrant members not to work. At Gary two negro miners, members of an independent union, were shot and wounded in attempting to pierce a picket line. The sympathy strikes spread to some open market coal mines, and the picket lines at “captive” mines were swelled by these sympathisers. About 53,000 captive coal miners and 14,500 open market miners remained idle. Earlier Message The coal strike is spreading and causing tile authorities serious concern. More than 50,000 workers in the steel company’s mines came out on strike yesterday morning. President Roosevelt has again postponed his trip to Warm Springs, which was scheduled for Wednesday. The President has made public a letter which lie received from the steel companies reporting the breakdown of the talk with the president of the United Mine Workers (Mr. John L. Lewis). The letter states that the cessation of coal production will soon cause a substantial reduction in steel production. Power to Commandeer The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate (Mr. Tom Ccnnally) introduced in the Senate a bill tq authorise the President to commandeer and operate plant or mines needed for the defence programme, but which are tied up by strikes. He accused Mr. Lewis of taking advantage of the nation’s peril for the purpose of accomplishing things he was unable to do in normal times. Delegates to the convention of the Congress of Industrial Organisation at Detroit adopted a resolution submitted by the executive, pledging unqualified support for the United Mine Workers in their dispute.