The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-16
vIcE-PRES. HAYES REPORT.
Coal Mine Owners Are Told to Become
More Enlightened.

Until coal mine owners become more
enlightened and end their campaigns
against the growth of the United Mine
Workers of America, they will continue
to injure their own business and pay
out vast sums to detectives and un
scrupulous politicians for protection
from the imaginary evil, said Vice-Pres-
ident Frank j. Hayes, in his report
to-day.
"We find in Virginia, West Virginia,
Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee and Al
abama,' reported Mr.. Hayes, approx
mately 10000 mine workers, the vast
majority of whom are unorganzed and
utterly helpless in meeting the encroach-
ments of organized wealth.
"lt is interesting to note that a con-
siderable number OF operators in these
unorganized 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 it is conspira-
cy engineered by northern miners TO
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-
lightened, they win continue to pay out
vast sums OF money each year to guards,
detectives, and INSCRIPTIONS politicians
for protection from this imaginary evil.
"In dealing with this proposition, we
have made it clear to both sides that
it is not our intention to unionize these
fields for the purpose of stranglng com
petition with the operators in the north
ern states, nor to establish prohibitivc
wages and conditions, viewed from
competitive standpoint, that viii keep
their product out of its most favorable
market.
"Every mining district in the country
has natural market and an inherent
right to the same, and we are well
aware of the peculiar geographical loca
ton of those particular fields, and in
dealing with this complex problem We
fully realize that we are face to face
with a condition and not theory and
must meet it with reason and intelli.
gence, 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 hastened by intelligent, world
wide discomfort, universal cooperation
shall supplant the present inefficient
system of competition, with all its
waste, brutality and utter disregard for
the higher and nobler phases of our
common life.
81 had the opportunity during the
past year of devoting some time and
attention to a study of conditions in the
region, and regret to report
that our membership in this field has
remained practically stationary, al
though during the latter part of the !
fiscal year there were unmistakable signs |
of an awakening through this region |
This condition is due largely to indiffer
ence of the men. and the work of COM
pany agents and paid hirelings, mas
under the cloak of unionism, 1
who lose no opportunity to misrepresent |
and vilify the organization and its Off
cials, striving at all times to prejudice !
the men and the public against the one
institution in the anthracite region that |
has courageously stood for living wages /
improved conditions and employments /
and higher standard of citizenship for |
all men employed in the mining indus
try"
Mr.. Hayes said "the coal industry in
these fields approaches nearer the ideal /
Of the trust, i. e., the absence of compe-
tition. and is an additional reason why |
The anthracite operators can we'll afford
10 meet the reasonable demands recently
formulated by the anthracite mine
especially so, in view of the
fact that the men in this field have
received no advance in wages or improve
nent in working conditions since 1902,
lespite the fact that the cost of living
ias increased by leaps and bounds since
hat time"