AMERICAN MINERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 April 1943, Page 3

AMERICAN MINERS

OPENLY CHALLENGING GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION OF PRESIDENT SOUGHT. SHOW DOWN WITH J. L. LEWIS. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 29. The War Labour Board has submitted the coal dispute to President Roosevelt, thus heading for a showdown with the president of the United Mine Workers’ Association, Mr John L. Lewis, with 61,000 miners idle and a general walk-out threatened lor May 1. The board said it had no alternative but to seek Presidential intervention. The United Press of America says the dispute is arousing nation-wide interest because the U.M.W.A. is openly challenging the Administration’s attempt to establish a method of settling wartime disputes and control of the cost of living.

“Mr Lewis has confronted the Government with an ultimatum,” says the “New York Times” in an editorial. “Either Mr Lewis gets a wage increase for the miners which violates the Government’s formula or the soft coal industry will be brought to a standstill on May 1 and steel production will cease within a fortnight. We will then stop making weapons for soldiers. “The responsibility is partly the Government’s for hesitant handling of labour problems, but the direct responsibility rests on Mr Lewis. By Mr Lewis’s own choice, we are about to see whether the Government’s authority in war time is greater or less than that of Mr Lewis.”

A correspondent of the 8.8. C. stated that 70,000 miners are now on strike. The stocks of coal above ground ars such that a complete stoppage on the coal-fields would cripple industry in a few weeks. A recent message stated that the dispute involved some 460,000 coalminers. Mr Lewis spurned participation in the War Labour Board’s settlement efforts, ignoring the board’s request to nominate three men from whom the labour members of a tripartite panel could be selected. The panel was to begin consideration of a wage controversy, which had reached a deadlock.

AIRCRAFT PLANT SHUT DOWN. The Boeing aircraft plant at Vancouver, employing 7800 workers, closed down when the employees insisted on taking 10 minutes rest periods. The company in a statement said it regretted the employees’ action, which left it no other choice, as the Federal authorities last week had warned that plants would be shut down immediately if the men insisted on taking rest periods. A union spokesman said the employees intended to take two 10-minutes rest periods to each eight-hour shift. USE OF POWERS AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. THREATENED BY PRESIDENT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, April 29. President Roosevelt has warned the American coal strikers that if work at the mines is not resumed by 10 a.m. on Saturday he will use his powers as Commander-in-Chief to prevent interference with the prosecution of the war. Mr Roosevelt said; “These are not mere strikes against the employers of this industry to enforce collective demands; they are strikes against the United States Government itself.” Over 73,000 soft coal miners are now on strike, with a further walk-out threatened for midnight on Friday.

TOO MANY FACTORIES NOW PRODUCING PLANES. NEW YORK, April 28. America will produce nearly 100,000 aeroplanes in 1943, doubling the 1942 production, according to the vice-chair-man of the War Production Board, Mr Batt. He said that too many war plants were constructed through the need for speedy production. As a result, management and labour must be prepared for idle plants in war time. He said the idle plants! would pjrovide flexibility and they would be available in case of emergency.