The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-17
Shall United Mine Workers Refuse to Sign
 Agreements? :.
PRESIDENT WHITE
 WANTS HIGHER PAY
Thomas L. Lewis, Former President of the Miners, Advocates Cau- tious Action-Officials Make
 Their Annual Reports

Indianapolis, January 1e.-DiVislon ol opinion as to the policy to be pursued by the bitumnous and anthracite coal min CTS, unions of the country in attempting to enforce a demand for higher wages appeared among the leaders of the United Mine Workers of America.
 The question which will be brought be- fore the convention is whether the indi- vidual districts of miners general union shall sign new wage contract with mine owners or whether the miners as na- tional organization shall refuse to sign any contracts until the operators of all the districts have agreed to the miners terms
 Thomas L. Lewis, former president of the miners, said:
 The surest way to avoid long and costly strike is for the bituminous and anthracite miners to agree on what they will demand in this convention. and then stand solidly together until we have won a national victory
 6s94 White Wants More Pay
 President White advocated a stand for higher wages in his annual report deliv- cred today While lie declined to commit himself in the matter, Vice President Frank J. Hayes said that opposition to the policy of national strike, if it can be averted, will come largely from offl- cals of districts bordering on unorganized coal fields. "It must be remembered that while the United Mine workers have q membership of nearly 30000O, there are about 45o,000 coal miners that are unor- ganized," MT Hayes said.
 The scale committee will go into ses- sion tomorrow and is expected to return before January 25. The convention or ganized and heard reports of officers to- day It probably will continue in session until the end of January.
 Officials Make Reports
 Until coal mine owners become more eulightene5 and end their. campaign agninst th1 growth of the United Mine .s, Work err ,5. ArsxriSiTt ttstsS will continue to .n5a' 'e itheir own business and pay out vast sums to detectives and un- scrupuIous politicians for protection from the imaginary evil. said Vice President Frank J. Hayes of the miners union In his report 10 it's international convention today.
 We find in Virginia, West Virginia. Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee and A proximately 150,000 mine workers, the vast majority of whom are morgan ized and utterly helpless in meeting the encroa chments of organized wealth It is interesting to note that a eonsid- erable number of operators in these un- organized states seem to be laboring under the delusion that the establish ment of the organization in their re- spective fields means the ruination of their properties and the enforced idle ness of their mines, that il is a con- spiracy engineered by northern miners 10 retard the legitimate growth of their trade. and probably, until We are sue cessful in our efforts to organize these fields or until they become more en- frightened, they wills continue to pay out vast sums of money each year to guards, detectives and interruptions politicians-for protection from this i'm aginary evil.
 Not to Strangle Competition
 Tn dealing with this proposition we have made 1t clear to both sides that it Is not our intention 10 nnionize these fields for the purpose of strangling com- petition with the operators in the north ern states. nor to establish prohibitive wages and conditions, viewed from a competitive standpoint, that will keep their product out of it's most favor able market. Every mining district in the country hdS a natural market ana an inherent right to the same, and we are we'll aware of the peculiar geograph- ica1 location of those particular fields and in dealing with this complex prob lem we fully realize that we are face to face with condition and not a theory, and must meet it with reason and intel ligenee, and with the sincere desire to be constructive and not destructive, to build up and not to tear down, until at least in the evolution of things. now being bastened by intelligent, worldwide discontent, universal cooperation shall eupplant the present inefficient system s of competition, with all it's waste, bru- tslity and utter disregard for the higher and nobler phases of our common life.
 q had the opportunity during the past year of devoting some time and attention to study of conditions in the anthracite region, and regret to report that our membership in this field has remained nracticallv stationary. although during the latter part of the fiscal year there was unmistakable signs of an awaken ing throughout this region. This condi- ton is due largely to indifference of the men. and the work or company agents 8 and paid hirelines, masquerading under the cloak of unionism who lose no op- porttntv to misrepresent and viilify the organization and it's officials, striving at all times to prejudice the man and the public against the one institution In the anthracite region that has courageously stood for living wages, improved eondi- tions and employment and a higher standard of citizenship for all men em- pioyed in the mining industry.
 as Absence of Competition
 ,rr. Hayes said the coal industry in these fields approaches nearer the ideal of the trust, l. e. the absence of com petition, and is an additional reason why the anthracite operators can well afford to meet the reasonable demands recently formulated by the anthracite mine work CTS especially so, in view of the fact that the men In this field have received no advance in wages or improvement in working conditions sine 1902, despite the fact that the cost of living has increased by leaps and bounds since that time
 Our work of organizing in certain fields is retarded considerably by the ex- istence of obnoxious laws that are base A travesty on a representative form of gov f ernment In Pennsylvania, for instance there exist laws that are especially despotic and severe in character towt The repass law the eviction law and the law or lack of law controlling the sea-