The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-30
ABOR CONTRACTS.

We REPRODUCED the outer udS Gil tai
ticle from the New York Sun. in which
that paper intimated that there was good
reason for the coal operators to decline
to arbitrate with their employees who are
On a strike, for the reason that the
strikers were endeavoring to get the BIZ
luminous coal miners. who were under
contract, to violate their agreement and
70 on strike through sympathy.
Our purpose in reproducing the Suns
article was to emphasize some remarks
Of The Times on this subject The Sun
recently had break with the Typo
graphical Union, and since that time 1t
has been making a fight on organized
labor. Perhaps it would be more fair
to the Sun to say that it has been max
ing a fight on some Of the methods
which labor unions employ to carry their
points. Be that as il may, there is GER
tainly no love lost between this news
paper and the labor unions of the coun-
try The Sun is regarded by organized
labor throughout the United States as Its
arch enemy, and when the Sun gets an
advantage over an adversary it is very
apt to use it with telling effect.
The object which the anthracite coal
miners have in going on strike is to,
compel the mine-operators to make
contract with them for an increased
scale of wages, the contract to run for a
period of twelve months or longer. But,
strangely enough, while demanding of the
mine-operators an agreement of this char
acter, 1t is given out that the anthracite
miners are doing all that they can to
persuade the miners in the bituminous
coal fields of Pennsylvania to violate a
written agreement which they have with
their employers which does not termi-
nate until April, 1908. Recently one of
publicly asserted that the rules of the
union superseded any contract that might
lie made between any branch of the
union and any nine-operator and that
It waa perfectly competent under the
rules OF the union for the Executive Com
mittee to call out the bituninous miners
in spite OF any contract under which,
they might be working
It seems to us that from the miners
point Of view this is the all-important
question involved In this strike. If they
do not Hold as q thing sacred and in
violable contract which in good faith
they have entered into. if they are work
3 ing under a hard and fast rule OF their
organization, which puts 1t into the
power OF a committee to compel them at
how can they reasonably expect that
business men will be disposed to make
contracts with them? Suppose the mine
operators should agree to arbitrate and
should finally agree to enter into new
contract with the men, what guarantee
have these Operators that tho contrac,
will not be violated whenever it suits the
purposes Of the union to do so? Sup.
pose after this contract has been made
the bituminous miners decide to Strike
and suppose an order be then issued by
this aii-powerful Executive Committee,
Tor the sake Of helping out the bitumi-
nous miners. compelling the anthracite
miners to 90 on strike. In that event
the anthracite miners would be compell
ed to obey the rule Of the union; which
as we are told. supersedes any contract
into which they may enter.
No wonder the New York Sun calls at
tent!on to this fact and uses it in sup
port Of the coal operators and agains
the miners.
II Ii shoFt-sighfed policy on the par
OF this labor organization to Take an,
sucl, stand as this. No orgah.za don
OF whatever character which docs no
respect its contract agreements can rca
eonabiy hope to sain Tie eont,dcnce o
inc bIsihess community. The Ancri.
can people believe il fair play: Thcy
bciie..c that contracts were made to b,
kept aac not 10 be VIOLATED. They can
st; AID viii tsot; ssfnpatiase Will, an,