The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-08-11
UNION MAN SCORES
COAL MINERS UNION
For Its Action in Striking Be-
cause of the Case of Hois-
ter by the Company.
tr.re,AL 70 ~, -ILra.A.,

l
CHARLESTON, w. Va, Aug. IL
Coal operators and mining men in
West Virginia are interested in the
fact that the strike at an operation in
the Kanawha field, over the refusal OF
a coal company there to discharge a
holster at the behest Of the local I'M
ion, does not receive the undivided
support of sympathizers of union la
Dor.
T. L. Lewis. former president OF
the United Mine Workers of America,
declares that the strike in question
is calculated to bring the union into
disrepute, and that the attitude Ut the
members OF the union on the strike
in question is entirely inconsistent.
Mr.. Lewis makes the strike the text
OF an editorial, in the current issue of
the Coal Mining Review, in which he
takes the members Of the local union
to task sharply. The editorial is as
follows:
Eat certain mine in the Kanawha
district Of West Virginia, a wage con-
tract is in effect. which provides that
any dispute that may develop should
be adjusted by the proper representa-
tlves Of the operators and the miners.
The contract also provides that the
mine shall remain and continue in OPP
Grafton pending final settlement of
the controversy. AT this mine was
employed holster, or the man who
runs the machine to lower and hoist
trips on the incline. He had been
empoyed in that capacity for over a
year and seemed to give satisfaction
to the mine manager.
Some of the members of the local
union at that mine, convinced them
selves that the holster should be re-
moved and brought the matter up at
meeting and by majority vote,
passed the resolution to have the
holster discharged and notified the
manager, and on the refusal Of the
manager to discharge the holster, the
lren suspended work. 1t may be said
to the credit of the leading represent
tatives of the miners union at that
particular mine. that they knew the
action of the men who in violation Of
the existing wage agreement and it is
reported that they so informed their
fellow workers.
There Is no doubt, but what the
same men who insisted on the strike
taking place, have time and again de-
nounced and condemned mine mana
gers. who would discharge a mine
worker without any apparent cause.
Have those same mine workers
stopped to think that they did tho
very same thing for which they have
condemned mine managers? The
mine workers at that mine should re-
member that tyranny and tyrannical
methods are no more justified when
practiced by mine workers than the
same methods are justified when
practiced by mine managers.
The strike at that mine caused
the suspension Of the operation for at
least one Gay. 1t Was loss of so
much time to the men and SO much
wages. 1t was loss of tonnage to
the company, and to that extent add
ed to the increased cost of the coal
produced at that mine. In addition
to increasing the cost of production,
depriving the men of a days earn
ings, 1t also made it more difficult for
the employees and employer to settle
differences at some other time. In
addition to this. 1t caused a feeling
of disrespect for the miners organi-
Zat'on and gave the enemies of the
miners an opportunity to show that
wage contracts are of no benefit to
any one because contracts are vlolat-
ed whenever 1t suits the convenience
of few men employed at any mine.
This is an unfortunate state of af-
fairs, and it is to be hoped that the
employees at the mine mentioned
will give the matter more serious
thought in the future and have any
difficulty, which may arise, adjusted
without suspending the operation OF
the mine"