The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-12-07
EFFICIENT MINE FOREMAN BONE,
S|NEW AND MUSCLE Of OPERATION

1 ious operation impossible, ant
consequently, strangling both the
success Of himself and his employ
er, and ultimately causing re
quest for his (the mine foreman's)
resignation and being supplanted
perhaps by an inferior person and
the man accepting this position
should make a special effort to see
that personal affairs and personal
opinions should not be allowed to
prejudice his mind, one way or an
other, so, as above stated, to come
into contact with the business ana
the affairs Of the company he rep
resents.
The handspring Of the Plant.
There are many features that en-
ter into the qualifying elements
that constitute and make possible
harmonious whole and I cannot
| better illustrate my ideas on this
subject than to say that a mine
foreman holds the same relation
ship to coal mine as a handspring
does to a watch, for the efficient
mine foreman is just as necessary
to the proper operation Of the mine
as is the handspring to the move
ment Of the we'll regulated time
piece. AS the handspring becomes
weak, the accuracy and reliability
Of the watch is affected, and so it
is with mine foreman, if he is not
alert at all times, or if he becomes
careless or Indifferent, his reliabi-
lily will be lessened, and his whole
organization will be affected ac-
cordingly.
1t is one of the essential features
OF we'll regulated mine that the
foreman should be able to detect
his own weaknesses as we'll as OF
those about him and give due con-
sideration to each
Some Adverse Influences.
among the things that affect tho
efficiency Of a mine foreman are
first, his superior may be very over
bearing and dictatorial in manner
with a very limited knowledge of
coal mining, but very full of what
mining men term red tape ideas
and knows nothing whatever Of
mine labor, the harmonious OPERA
tlon or mine and the influence he
should, as superior officer, exert
over same.
Second, 1t may also come from 2
member OF his inside working or
gan1Zatlon, who is DESTROYS Of in
some way supplanting the mine fore
man and will begin first by criticiz-
ing to some one of the organiza-
ton CT the work and orders of the
mine foreman, and while it is far
from our purpose to expect any or
ganiZation of any kind or charact-
err either around a coal mine or
elsewhere, to be perfect, it is.
nevertheless the fact, that when q
man becomes disloyal to his super.
Tor, he is hinGrance both to the
company he works for and the
whole organization in general and
his services should be dispensed
with, for all men who are capable
OF being promoted should know that
anything that is worth having is
worth waiting for, and that obed-
fence and loyalty to their superior
is their first duty, and when they
forget this they dispense with the
value Of their services, regardless
OF how valuable it may have been
previous to this time, aud the mon
OF experience, who are capable Of
| having in their charge the RESPONSE
/ bility Of the operating Of coal
mine, should have full possession
and authority to rule and govern
his organization and put TO flight
| any and all persons who put a con-
ditiOn either visible or invisible
that constitutes Il hindraDce to the
efficient operation Of the mine
Strict Discipline Necessary.
There is not an Industrious oc-
cuDation N which discipline Of a
| military character is so absolutely
necessary as it is in a coal mine,
from the mine foreman to the door
| boy, or water bailer, and we should
have such a system Of discipline
in all mines that infraction Of the
rules governing the mines, either
by miner, laborer, door boy, o
mine foreman, superintendent or
any person employed in or about a
coal mine, that would endanger
the lives of the men in the mine,
should be found guilty, DISCHARGED
and held criminally responsible
and be prosecuted accordingly, and
this should apply to every person
who enters the mine, and no per-
son should be exempted.
There are three parts that con-
stitute the training and education
Of first class mine foreman, first,
the experience he has gained by
working in and around coal mines,
which he calls practical experience,
second, information he has gained
by reading, studying, etc, as the
! theoretical training. and last but MOI