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Show COIL MINERS ALL GO OH STRIKE PSESIDENT LEWIS DECLARES UNION IS DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN DEMANDS Coal Supply Will Last But Few Weeks In Opinion of Strike Leaders; Utilities Will be the First i to Suffer Washington. The national coal strike is 100 per cent effective la the unionized bituminous and anthracite mines of the country and Is getting support in nonunion territory, John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, declared Sunday on his arrival ar-rival here to attend congressional hearings. There are 000,000 miners ready to stay out of the mines "indefinitely, until the operators ure ready to discuss dis-cuss with us the question of new wage agreements in the central competitive com-petitive fields," Mr. Lewis declared, adding that, while the union "courted "court-ed investigation for anthracite and the bituminous industry, it seeks no government gov-ernment intervention, but does ask for the support of public opinion in forcing the operators to continue col-lecive col-lecive bargaining with miners over wages and working conditions." Luscussing coal reserves and the effect ef-fect of the strike on the interests of consumers, Mr. Lewis strongly expressed ex-pressed his opinion that "a pinch would come earlier than expected." He declared nonunion mine production produc-tion hud been "gre-.itly exaggerated, " and that operators had been more or less openly following tactics that forced a strike so thjy could get higher prices and greater profits. "There won't be a single man return re-turn to work this week," Mr. Lewis said, "from the OuO.UUU men who weut out. It takes a little longer in the nonunion fields for us to get the ro-ports. ro-ports. In the West Virginia ir.inlian-dle, ir.inlian-dle, for instance, right along the Ohio line, th 're are about 5000 or 0000 men in nonunion mines for w hom meetings are being held. They'll probably be out soon. There are meetings here and there in nonunion territory all over the United States. We'll get the returns later. In the union territory we know what happened, the operators opera-tors aren't even going to try to run the mines." Taking notice of the suggestion by Cluiirman lionih of the senate labor committee that the government ought to Intervene further -into the situation, situa-tion, Mr. Lewis remarked that he wai "afraid nothing much could be done with the operators." "Every attempt has heen made to get them to meet their obligations to continue collective luirgalning .with us," he continued, "and I assume they will maintain their refusal no matter wlw tries to get them to confer. We stand ready, now as ever, to enter uuy conference with them to discuss the terms of a new wage contract which will allow us to resume work. "If the miners today wcro occupying occupy-ing tho position of refusing to discuss dis-cuss u wago contract, as -tho operators opera-tors are, they'd be morally castigated ny all the citizens of this land." "Although the operators regard eilcli other as competitors." Mr. Lewis siild, jnd are not acting In concert, "wo know that we can't got a gonoril nge scale without unity of action in the central competitive flold, hocause a difference of a cent a day In wages means cents per ton In the gulling price of coal, makes turmoil In markets mar-kets and closes up old mines to opon now ones." "Still they were a unit In wanting suspension," ho continued. "They had loaded up all the big consumers with coal on the .strike scare, and held up the market prices whilo the loudlug was going on. Now they think Unit if trey're shut down long enough there II be a scarcity, and a runaway merket. Tlndr disposition made the .itriko Inevitable." Mr. Lewis estimates the maximum production of tho nonunion mines at 4,,I0 tons a week, much of which ho Bald, was good only for coke. Further, Furth-er, ho deelareil, the middle west could md mi the freight to got nonunion eoal to them. "Wat'-h the public utility companies in the smaller cities." the strike leader lead-er said. "They will be bit first.. The big cities aro pretty well storked, but tho little ones are not." Mr. I.cwIh exported tv reninln In Washington as long an bis presence Is required, but said he bad no engage mollis with President Harding to executive ex-ecutive officers. |