The Washington times., 1914-04-29
AMERICAN MINING CON-
DITIONS.

| iHiCC No1iooo uc"S IlSpdlClSS
concerning the conditions that sur
round the coal mining business in
this country appear in the newspapers
of this present day, which taken to-
gether justify the conclusion that
there is something wrong. very
wrong, and that it is a big some
thing.
From Colorado comes the story of
the spread Of the mining war, of
more lives sacrificed to the contest
over unionization and working con-
ditions, and of the ordering of Fed
eral troops to the scene because the
States authority has broken down.
From West Virginia comes the re-
port of another horror, an explosion
of gas in a mine that is known to
have caused number Of deaths, and
that entombed a large number of
men, who have small chance to
escape alive.
At the same time Senator Till
man is reported introducing a reso-
luton for inquiry as to whether Ger
tain powerful interests in Eastern
mining and railroads have used their
influence to prevent the development
CT coal properties in the South, in
order to advantage mines in Penn
sylvania.
Only recently the Government
voted to spend a vast sum building
publicly owned railroads in Alaska,
and the frankly recognized reason
for the move was that it was neces-
sary to provide publicly. owned trans
portation in order to prevent the
great coal deposits of that country
falling into control of monopoly.
A few years ago, huge areas of
public lands containing coal had to
be withdrawn from the privilege of
entry, in order to prevent their being
taken up by other monopolistic in
terests.
All these, and many other ominous
conditions that could be noted, point
to the conclusion that a very bad
state of affairs exists with relation
to the coal business in this country.
The loss of life in our mines. espe-
cia!Iy coal mines, is so very much
greater than in any other country as
to be a national disgrace. Coal is
mined under mora difficult and
dangerous conditions ir Britain and
Belgium than here, YET without any
such constantly recurring catastro-
phies as mark AMI mar the industry
here.
1t has been commonly charged in
recent years that conditions are
especially bad in those mining
regions where there are constant diff
ferences between the operators and
the miners over the recognition of
the unions; that peace, stability and
safety of life are found in greatest
measure in the unionized regions,
and in the least degree in the Sec
tions where the unions have been
refused recognition. Likewise it is
charged and very generally believed
that the great aggregations Of capi-
tai which dominate the business
make it part of their business policy
to import ignorant foreign laborers
to do their mining, and that one of
the prime reasons for this policy is
that these men are the least capable
# cffectiug organization and carry
ing on struggles for their own in
terest.
1t would seem that illumination of
all these conditions could very prop
erly be provided through some Gov
ernment investigation. Perhaps it
is the affair of the new Industrial
Commission; perhaps Congressional
or a Department of Labor investi-
cation is the right way to get at it.
Certainly the business is in a de-
moralized condition as to relations
between employers and employees,
and a full knowledge of the facts
would seem highly desirable as a
preliminary to betterment.