Current Events May 4, 1943:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY MAY 4, 1943:

While the nation's mines began slowly to resume production tonight

under the 15-day truce, John L. Lewis made it clear that

the armistice meant no retreat from the miners' original demands

and that the next step was up to Secretary of the Interior,

Ickes, boss of the government-controlled coal fields.

Under the protecting folds of the American flag, the first handful of

West Virginia's bituminous coal miners went back to the pits yesterday,

all indications being that tipples would be humming at near normal

capacity within another 24 hours.

A m e r i c a n soldiers smashing back fiercely-resisting crack

German troops in a1 14-mile plunge, today occupied Mateur,

one of the most important Axis strongholds in northern Tunisia,

and thus scored their greatest land victory in Africa.

Russian troop^ have killed 900

more Germans in violent fighting in the Kuban sector of the

Caucasus, the Soviets announced early today, bringing the toll of

enemy dead within the last week in that area to nearly 8.000.

The Dally Mail reported from Madrid today that "European

military and political circles" believe that Adolf Hitler

will hurl his main forces this summer against Britain, rather

than Russia.

The Navy Department today announced heavy and damaging air

attacks last Saturday on Japanese bases in the western Aleutians.

It was indicated that improving weather conditions have enabled

the army air forces to resume the dawn - to - dusk raiding schedule

which has held the enemy's North Pacific positions under almost constant

fire for the past two months.

                             The Charleston Gazette

              Charleston. West Virginia, Tuesday Morning, May 4, 1943.

Lewis Reveals Miners

Stand Pat on Demands

Refused by Operators

Next Move

Union Chief Says

Men Start,Work Today

Under 15-Day Truce

WASHINGTON, May 3.—(AP)

While the nation's mines began slowly to resume production tonight

under the 15-day truce, John L. Lewis made it clear that

the armistice meant no retreat from the miners' original demands

and that the next step was up to Secretary of the Interior,

Ickes, boss of the government-controlled coal fields.

The United Mine Workers "leader, in a statement issued after a meeting

of "the union's national policy committee in New York, also reiterated

the stand of the miners that they "were no longer bound by

the no-strike pledge," and charged that the War Labor Board by

adopting the "Little Steel" wage formula had '-'breached the understanding"

labor had entered with the public, employers and the administration

regarding strikes in wartime.

Apparently in answer to President Roosevelt's statement of last

night that the United Mine Workers

had entered the no-strike agreement,

Lewis asserted that "the War Labor Board must accept the full

responsibility for distress in the ranks of labor created by their

contravention of the understanding and commitments arrived .at in the

December, 1941 conference."

                                             Union Stands Pat

Ikes to Operate Mines

On Cash From Coal Sales

New 'Board Orders That Foods Be Sold in Company

Stores According to OP A Price Ceilings

W. Va. Miners

Return to Pits

Full Operation Expected

Today in State

By the Associated Press

Under the protecting folds of the American flag, the first handful of

West Virginia's bituminous coal miners went back to the pits yesterday,

all indications being that tipples would be humming at near normal

capacity within another 24 hours.

Whistles blew at all of the state's 625 commercial and captive operations

in obedience to a government directive, but observers declared

that no more than 10 percent of the United Mine Workers responded.

Americans Capture Mateur,

Key Communications Center;

Enemy Falling Back Widely

Other Units Within

15 Miles of Bizerte

U. S. Feat Held Greatest

Victory Over Nazis

(Tunisian Wlrephoto Map, Page 9.)

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN

NORTH AFRICA, May 3.—(AP)—

A m e r i c a n soldiers smashing back fiercely-resisting crack

German troops in a1 14-mile plunge, today occupied Mateur,

one of the most important Axis strongholds in northern Tunisia,

and thus scored their greatest land victory in Africa.

French troops and other American forces to the north

meanwhile stabbed to within 15 miles of Bizerte. .

The. capture of Mateur, strategic enemy communications and supply

center, brought the U. S. troops to the edge of the fan-like Tunis plain

with1 its slightly-rolling, flowerstudded hills in which Allied armored

formations can operate;

                                Bizerte, Tunis Threatened

Reds Kill 900 Germans

As Kuban Front Flares

LONDON, Tuesday, May 4.—(AP)—Russian troop^ have killed 900
more Germans in violent fighting in the Kuban sector of the

Caucasus, the Soviets announced early today, bringing the toll of

enemy dead within the last week in that area to nearly 8.000.

Actions flared all along the vast from the

Caucasus north to Leningrad with a total of 1.280

Nazi troops killed Monday in land attacks and by artillery actions,

said the midnight communique as recorded by the Soviet monitor.

Tremendous dog fights swirled in the air over the Caucasian battlefields,

the Moscow radio reported, with 54 German planes shot

down in combats "west of Krasnodar" Sunday and Monday against

a loss of 21 Russian planes.

Invasion of England

Rumored as Nazi Plan

LONDON. May 4.—(Tuesday)

(INS)—The Dally Mail reported from Madrid today that "European

military and political circles" believe that Adolf Hitler

will hurl his main forces this summer against Britain, rather

than Russia.

It quoted those circles as slating the German general staff has

resolved "not to make a summer offensive in Russia but to concentrate

all available forces in the west and renew the attempt

to invade England."

Aleutians Foe Hit

14 Times in 1 Day

WASHINGTON. May 3.—(INS) —

The Navy Department today announced heavy and damaging air

attacks last Saturday on Japanese bases in the western Aleutians.

It was indicated that improving weather conditions have enabled

the army air forces to resume the dawn - to - dusk raiding schedule

which has held the enemy's North Pacific positions under almost constant

fire for the past two months.

Bad weather kept American bombers grounded in the Andreanof islands

for most last week.

At Kiska. a heavy explosion was observed in the vicinity of North

Head, at Kiska harbor. The aircraft runway was damaged by

bombs, fires were started among Japanese buildings at the airfield,

and heavy smoke was seen in neighboring areas, indicating damage

to other installations.

At Attu, enemy positions at Holtz bay and Chicagof harbor, on the

northern shore of the island, were attacked 1)y Liberator heavy bombers.

The navy today also announced a heavy attack by torpedo bomber's

on Japan's Munda base in the central Solomon islands. Bomb hits

were scored on the airfield, on the runway and in the revetment areas.