The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-03-11
Workers Appear III Prepared
to Enforce Demands.
Correspondent states Shafts Nay BE
Shut Down Until Surplus Is
Exhausted.
LARGE SUPPLY IS ON HAND.

local operators are confident that there
will be no strike in the anthracite re-
lyons this spring, although the recent
convention OF the mine workers at
indianapolis Endorsed the demands OF
the unions in the anthracite district
and the district presidents are there
fore bound to make them. The con-
EDITIONS are not favorable for a
lstrike, and the case of the miners is
VERY weak, because every proposition
they will make has been twice con-
lsidered and rejected by the commits
lsion appointed by President Roose-
welt, which settled the long strike
several years ago.
In the first place. no movement
which eontemplates the abolition OF
1.-THE Cancellation board in the anthra-
cite coal regions will command the
sympathy or the support OF the pub
lie because 1t would be a long step
backward to abolish that tribunal. the
first and only permanent board of ar
bitration in the United States for the
settlement of disputes between labor
and capital. The Cancellation board
has been a great success and is en-
t.rely satisfactory to the miners. al
though 1t is a menace to the unions.
and that is the only reason why the
district presidents ale determined to
abolish IT, A workman who has the
privilege of applying to a permanent
tribunal with power to remedy his
grievances at once has no use for a
union, and the leaders of the United
Miners during the last three years
have been brought to realize that fact
in very forcible manner. As long
as a miner has the right to appeal
directly to a court with power to act
he Is not likely to take his troubles
to walking delegate or the presi-
dent of a union. The result is a very
large decrease in the union member
ship throughout the anthracite region
and the organizers never had so much
difficulty in recruiting as they have
today. If they are deprived of that
right the organizers think they will
return TO the union.
Public sentiment throughout the
mining district approves and sustains
the Cancellation board, and is decided
| " against a strike. The butchers,
grocers. bakers and other tradesmen
who usually suffer quite as much as
the miners themselves when work is
suspended are almost unanimous IN
their opposition to a strike, and they
take a practical view of the subject
They can Judge of the situation from
perspective. and they can see that
the operators were never so well pre-
pared or the miners so III prepared
for a strike as now. They have also
witnessed the wholesome effects Of
the Cancellation plan that has been
in operation for three years. and
recognize its advantages over the old
plan Of trying to redress grievances
by coercion.
The membership of the unions is
smaller now than II has been for
many years and their treasures are
practically empty. As long as there
is no necessity for the protection OF
a union the men are not apt to pay
dues and the Cancellation board is
answering every purpose.
On the other hand, the visible sup
ply of coal Is larger than It ever has
been at this time OF year. The mines
have been working fol- blast all WIN
ter, and the mild weather has lessen
ed the demand so much that the rail
way companies, the Independent COM
panies and all large consumer
throughout the country have a SUM-