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Show PUCE PREVAILS US MINERS QUIT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND THOU-SAND ANTHRACITE MINERS WALK OUT Strike Is Expected To Last Fop Months; Mon-ths; Millions Of Tons Of Coal Is Stored And Shortage Is Not Expected Philadelphia The hard coal suspensions, sus-pensions, involving a walkout of 108,-000 108,-000 mine workers, went into effect at midniRht, August 31st, as scheduled. It is reported peaceable and, so far as can be learned, virtually 100 per cent complete. The assignment of the 10,-000 10,-000 maintenance men who return to the pits by mutual arrangement to man pumps and attend to the general gen-eral upkeep during the suspension, was reported as having gone through without a hitch. The first of the three full shifts insisted upon by the union went down the shafts in time to relieve the night shift coming out. The union made good its assurance assur-ance it would not resort to picketing, picket-ing, which, it explained, would be unnecessary in view of the effectiveness effective-ness of the tieup. The closing night of the old contract con-tract was celebrated as a festival in many of the mining towns. Coal trains continue to shuttle back and forth, loaded trains creaking past returning strings of "empties." Although the strike order w?.s scheduled to go into effect at midnight, mid-night, practically all the miners quit on Saturday. They staged big picnics pic-nics on Sunday and like boys who cut the last day at school did not go back to work. t Ten thousand railroad men will bfl thrown into idleness by the strike. These and the miners have 500,000 persons dependent on them for bread. No disorders are anticipated in the strike zone, at least not for some time, as the operators say they do not Intend to import strikebreakers. Both the operators and the union officials declared that they will not; yield and a long drawn-out struggle Is anticipated. Miners throughout the strike zone are in a holiday mood. They have money ahead and intend to have a good time at the movies and at autumn au-tumn picnics. Many of their wives and daughters have signed up on farms to bring in the autumn havest. Washington Officials of the United Mine Workers of America have assured Secretary Davis that every effort will be made to protect property and lives at the mines during dur-ing the suspension of work in the anthracite coal fields. The labor secretary, sec-retary, who has been keeping in close touch with developments in the anthracite an-thracite situation, previously had expressed ex-pressed concern over the possibility that the mine properties might not have adequate care during the suspension sus-pension of work. |