U.S. MINERS’ STRIKE

Southland Times, Issue 24598, 21 November 1941, Page 5

U.S. MINERS’ STRIKE

ADMINISTRATION MAY ACT SITUATION NOW WORSE (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, November 19. Developments in Washington indicate that the Administration is preparing to take a firm hand in the coal strike. As the situation on the coal-fields hourly grows more intense, some observers believe that outside workers will be brought into the “captive” mines under army protection. Walk-outs in sympathy with the “captive” miners closed 12 additional commercial mines in Pennsylvania. At least 15 commercial mines in southern West Virginia have closed in sympathy with the “captive” miners and it is believed that all will be shut down after tomorrow. A spokesman for the industry estimated that sympathy strikes had already reduced the coal production by 75,000 tons daily. ARMING OF AMERICAN MERCHANTMEN WASHINGTON, November 19. Colonel Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy, at a Press conference today, said armed American merchantmen would be sailing the North Atlantic within 10 days. Those now sailing under the Panama flag would be promptly transferred to United States registry. It would probably take three months to arm all other American merchantmen. Colonel Knox disclosed that the captured German freighter Odenwald was one of a number of German ships which have been chartered to Japanese interests.