GREAT COAL STRIKE

Grey River Argus, 3 June 1943, Page 5

GREAT COAL STRIKE

STARTS IN AMERICA Half Million May Join In [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l NEW YORK, June 1. America is facing another national coal crisis. Thousands of miners stopped work last night when the coal strike truce expired. The “walk-out” appears to be 100 per cent, effective, although some of the mines manned by A.F.L., or independent union members, have continued producing. The “New York Sun’s” Washington correspondent says that the “walkout” has produced a final show-down between Mr. Lewis and Mr. Roosevelt. 'The miners have demonstrated unfaltering determination to follow Mr. Lewis’s leadership rather than the President’s, indicating that further appeals to their patriotism will be futile. The Government must now resort to force to ensure an uninterrupted production of coal. A nation-wide stoppage is feared. The only hope of settlement rests on a conference to-day between the coal owners and the miners’ leaders. If this conference fails more than 500,000 miners are expected to strike. Governmental action, possibly the use of troops, is expected, unless MiLewis orders the miners to resume work.

Call on Leader TO SEND MINERS BACK TO WORK. (Rec. 11.0.) NEW YORK, June 2. ; Mr. Ickes asserted that the miners walk-out constituted a strike against the Government. Mr. Ickes called on Mr. Lewis to order the miners to return “to their wartime posts of duty.” ’ . Mr Ezra Van Horn., the Chairman of the Coal Mine Operators’ Committee. called on the operators and the miners to reach a speedy conclusion to their negotiations, -thereby assuring continuous production of coal on. a normal basis.