DAYS OF MOURNING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26424, 31 March 1947, Page 5

DAYS OF MOURNING

THE CENTRALIA DISASTER MINERS TO CEASE WORK WASHINGTON, i. Mar. 29. ■Mr John.L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, has called a stoppage of work throughout the soft coal industry from April 1 to April 6 to mourn for the miners killed in the Centralia disaster. Mr Lewis, in a communication to the 400,000 members of the union, said it was a sacred coincidence that the greater part of the. mourning period would be during faster holy week. He added: " Forced to work by an injunction secured by the Serretarv of the

Interior, Mr Julius Krug, and his fellow conspirators, the safety of these men was neglected to the point where they died like trapped animals. There is public sorrow at the moment, but we know from harsh experience that at is only a momentary feeling of pity. We challenge this criminal calloused attitude. This killing must stop. This debauched administration of mine safety must stop. The American people must be roused to the casualties of the coal industry.”