United labor bulletin., 1914-10-24
FAIRNESS OF COAL
MINERS IN STRIKE
Policy Committee Issues State
ment on the Situation
Contrast Arrogant Attitude Of Opera
tors Who Insist on Violating Law,
With Miners Dealing With President

The policy committee OF district No.
10, United Mine Workers, consisting OF
Frank j. Hayes, John r. Lawson, John
McLennan and Ed L. Doyle, has issued
the following statement on the latest
developments in the coal strike:
''The United Mine Workers of Amer
lea have accepted President Wilson's
proposition for a three-year truce and
settlement of the coal strike. The coal
operators, who have always refused to
discuss grievances with their former en-
ployes, have continued this policy by
arrogantly defying the President OF the
United States.
Acceptance of President Wilson's
proposition, which in many ways was
unsatisfactory and Objectionable to the
strikers, personified the spirit OF fair
ness on which the United Mine Work
ers was builded into the biggest labor
organization in the world and which has
made it possible to secure contracts for
100000 men working in the mines OF the
United States.
Fairness is the keystone on which
system of highest efficiency has been
reached in the coal mining industry.
Except for the knowledge of the oper-
ators in organized states that their men
had certain inherent rights, these mine
owners would be in the same position
as those OF Colorado, spending millions
OF dollars to deny their men justice
and employing men at this additional
cost who could only produce half as
much coal as a union man and then a
large percentage of that slack
This spirit of fairness on the part of
the miners has characterized their strug
gle in Colorado.
when. on September 10, 1913, they
decided that they could not obtain their
rights except by a strike. they asked
only Tor an enforcement of all laws,
the recognition of the union so they
could collectively see that these laws
would be enforced and a wage scale
similar to that received by miners in
the neighboring state Of Wyoming.
Before declaring for a strike the
miners asked the operators for a con-
ference, believing that they could have
no objection to an enforcement of min
ing laws made certain through reeogni-
tion Of the union or paying wages equal
to those received by miners in Wyo-'
ming. where mining is identical with
that in Colorado.
The operators arrogantly refused to
meet their employees, claiming that they
had nothing to arbitrate.'
Consequently 95 per cent of the min
ers went out on strike September %,
1918.
-Ethelbert Stewart was sent to Colo
rado by Secretary of Labor w. B. VIII
son to attempt to effect a settlement
The strikers gave him every assistance
possible. The operators insulted him
l. NJ. Bowers, personal representative of
John d. Rockefeller, when Mr.. Stewart
asked him for information. told him ii
was none of his business
Then came Secretary of Labor VIII
son. He was snubbed by the operators,
| who cast reflection on his personal in,
tegrity because he was a member of
the United Mine Workers.
BY introducing false and misleading
| testimony before the congressional in
vestigating committee the mine owners
| again tried to evade responsibility for
| their injustice TO their former employees.
The operators likewise treated with
indifference the investigation OF HyweIl
Davies and William Farley, conciliator>
appointed at the suggestion of Presi-
dent Wilson.
And now comes the most unfair ac.
| tion OF the strike, the defiance OF the
| President of the United States
THE MINERS, BELIEVING IN THE
| INTEGRITY AND WISDOM OF THE
| PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES. AND BECAUSE OF THEIR
| INTEREST IN THE WELFARE OF
THE SUFFERING CITIZENS OF COL
ORAD0, HAVE WAIVED IMPORTANT
| DEMANDS To PROMOTE PEACE
AND AT THE SANE TINE COMPLY
WITH PRESIDENT WILSON'S VERY
J URGENT REQUEST.
How long will the people of this
country permit the Colorado coal oper-
ators to defy the President of the
| United Statesy''