AMERICAN COAL STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17335, 5 December 1919, Page 7

AMERICAN COAL STRIKE.

MIDDLE WEST PARALYSED. LEADERS TO BE PROSECUTED. A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON. Dec. 3. Owing to the coal strike industry is paralysed throughout the Middle West. The railways are curtailed to the utmost. Bitter suffering is being experienced among the poor of the cities owing to the absence of work and the inability to procure coal. Eighty-four officials of the United Mineworkers of America have been summoned for criminal contempt of court arising from violations of the anti-strike injunction. DEMANDS OF THE MINERS. RAILWAY RESTRICTIONS. VANCOUVER, Nor. 19. The United States coalminers proposed a compromise on the basis of a 30 per cent, wage increase, and a seven-hour day, in reply to the Government's offer of a 14 per cent, increase. A message from Chicago states that because comparatively few miners are returning to work, Mr. Hines, director of the United States Railways, is calling a conference to consider the necessity of declaring a nationwide freight embargo, to conserve the country's coal. It is estimated that the result of the embargo would be to reduce the passenger service by 40 per cent., and to throw 15,000,000 men out of employment.