davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05
teresting Study in Profit and Loss in the
United Mine Workers of America

revealed that only 40.72 per cent. Of all
strikes in quarter of a century were
in whole or even in part for an increase
in wages. In less than 10 per cent. of
strikes a demand for shorter hours was
combined with other demands. Yet it
is popularity supposed that the great
ends sought by union workmen are in
creased wages to enable them to raise
their standard of living and more
leisure in which to enjoy added comforts
that higher wages buy.
So 1t seems that seven-tenths of all
strikes are ordered by labor unions, that
only two-fifths of these are connected
with any demand for higher wages and
less than half are successful.
To put II another way. these official
data, covering a long term of years
show that six times out of every ten
that the union workman strikes he does
so with no hope of gaining any more
money TO pay the grocer. but with the
positive knowledge that for an indefi-
mite number of days he will have no
money at all to pay anybody. In the
remaining four strikes in ten he does
not stand quite an even chance OF get
ting a small increase to offset the wages
totally lost. And in every one OF the
ten strikes he runs risk of losing his
job altogether.
Regarded as an investment. the union
card seems to leaye something to be de-
sired.
If official data concerning all unions
are less complete than could be desired
it Is at least possible to find out all
about one representative union. and this
information may serve as key to the
whole union problem. by good luck Ii
happens that the one union which Is
subject to special statistical oversight
by both national and State governments
concerning which. therefore. fun infor-
nation Is available, Is the union which
for various reasons has been most con-
spicuously in the public eye.
This labor organization Is the United
| Mine Workers OF America. former
secretary-treasurer of which Is now a
member OF the Cabinet.
The United Mine Workers Is alleged
to be increasing in membership more
rapidly than any other OF the Ill unions
affiliated with the American Federation
Of Labor
The United Mine Workers is the only
labor organization that ever had the
enterprise to conduct an armed insur'
rection, in which pitched battles were
fought by men armed with high power
modern rifles provided by the union ant
commanded by union officers, with State
troops. The United Mine Workers ha'
conducted two such instructions in two
States in two years and has announced
that a third will be commenced as sooI
as United States troops are withdraw
from Colorado.
The United Mine Workers is the onl!
labor organization ever made the sub
ject OF special legislation by Congress
The officers Of the United Mine Worker
are under indictment In two States. u.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05
One photographs depths

take. The Forest Service made it's OBJ
servations through glasses from dis
lance of eighteen and twenty miles, and
what the observers mistook for melting
snow and mud were the ashes deposit.d
on the top OF the snow
Information compiled by the United
States Geodetic Survey shows that the
last violent volcanic eruption in the
Mount Lassen district occurred about
200 years ago, the first violent out
break occurring at least n century be-
fore the American revolution The es-
tlmated ages of the trees still standing
in the deposits support these geological
observations
A later and second period NJ erup-
tion occurred ahout seventy years ,vo
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05

unanimous vote the House has ex-
empted labor unions, including these
officers OF course, from the operations
of the law under which they were in
dicted
Tracing this highly interesting labor
organization through the twenty first
annual report OF the Commissioner of
Labor we find that more than 3 per cent.
of all strikes in the last twenty-five
years have been in the coal mining in
dustry and that more men have 'been
involved In these strikes than in strikes
in any other industry.
The special report on coal mining
published annually by the United States
Geological Survey says 722.662 persons
We're employed in the coal mining in
dustry in 1912. OF these 2s9.269 or 40
per cent, were members of the United
Mine Workers. according to the annual
report of President j. =. White, as pub
lished in the official organ Of the union.
In the ten years from 1908 to 1912. ac-
cording to the Geological Surveys fig
ures. coal miners lost an aggregate OF
65,11S.474 days work on account OF
strikes. This report does not deal with
the question OF wages. but annual re-
-
mines do.
As Illinois Is SO thoroughly unionized
under an agreement between the opera
tors and the United Mine Workers,
made in 1898 and still in force, that no
man can work in a mine in that State
without q union card, IL is fair to accept
the Illinois rate as the proper wage for
a coal miner. The average daily wage
of miners In Illinois for the ten years
as given by the State Bureau of Mines,
is s277. At this rate the aggregate
wage loss of the coal miners Of the
United States on account of strikes in
the ten years was $1SO,37S,172. Since
there Is nothing to show what benefits
| IL any, were gained to offset this loss
this inquiry must be confined to Illinois
where the union Is supreme and condi-
tons are therefore, theoretically. ideal.
| The annual report OF the Illinois State
Bureau OF Mines shows that the aver.
age rate paid for mining coal was So.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05

cause the agreement between the union
and the operators provides for the I'M
limited check Off, which means that the
oprators deduct from the wages of the
miners and turn over to the union
treasurer any amount they are re-
quested by the union officers to collect.
The miner never sees this money
The national per capita tax is SO
year. Multiplying the number of en-
ployees of Illinois mines for ten years
by SO gives a total of $l,991,652. To
this sum must be added assessments
levied from time to time and local dnes.
1t is, therefore, no doubt an under
estimate to say that, counting wages
lost. dues and assessments paid. the
miners of Illinois have paid $4,000 900
for the privilege of belonging to "A union
for ten years.
These startling figures are srendered
still more impressive by comparison
with results In the non-union State Of
West Virginia. Turning to the Geo.
logical Surveys report we find that in
1910 and 1911. the two years preceding
the war for the compulsory unioniza-
ton of West Virginia, the coal miners
of the United States were on strike an
aggregate of 20234.261 days.
or this total 9,234,541 days, or nearly
half the total. were contributed by the
model union State of Illinois, while the
miners of West Virginia. less than 4
per cent. of whom belonged to the
union, were on strike only 30,46s days
| in the two years. AS West Virginia
produces 9,3 per cent. OF the coal :
the United States, II the miners Of the
State had been on strike their proper
tionate share of the total they would
have lost l.s76,sS5 days, instead of only
3O.46S days, a saving OF 1,s46,417 days
work by the simple expedient OF not be-
longing to a union.
Multiplying this by the average rate
of wages in Illinois gives the sum of
| s5.114,574 as the amount gained by the
miners Of West Virginia by not belong
ing to the union for two years. Their
actual gains were larger, because the
| average annual earnings OF non-union
West Virginia are higher than those OF
union Illinois.
For 1t Is an amazing fact that in
each of the most conspicuous three
'trikes conducted by the United Mine
Workers On recent years, those in West
Virginia, Vancouver Island and Colo
RADIO, the miners affected were receiving
higher wages than the miners In the
States where the union was strongest
The highest annual average in ten
years In the model union State Of III
inois was 1856 in 1912. In that same
year. the year the insurrection was be-
gun by the union. the West Virginia
Bureau OF Mines reported the annual
average earnings or miners in that
State as $61S.
The report of the Minister of Mines
of british Columbia for 1912 gives the
average daily wages Of miners as $3.50
to 81 day; OF helpers, $2.s6; OF labor
ers, $2.s6 to $3.50: mechanics and
skilled laborers. $2.S6 to 1857. And
the miners OF Vancouver Island worked
three hundred days in the year, as com
pared with the 1874 days Of the union
miners Of Illinois.
Why, the lowest paid laborer In the
non-union mines Of Vancouver Island
earned an average Of 1858 during thu
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05
Says Rank and File of Organizations Have No
Protection From Acts of Their Officers
Who Are Entrusted With Large Sums

year, or 1902 more than the union miner
of Illinois, while the best miners earned
an average of 2,1O0 year. or nearly
four times as much as the average Hi
nois miner. Yet the United Mine Work.
ers sent men from Indianapolis to en-
force a strike against these "inhuman
conditions" in Vancouver Island. and
collected through the check off fifty
cents a month from the scanty earn
ings of the Illinois miners on the pre-
text that 1t was needed to support these
British Columbia plutocrats while they
were on strike! No wonder the au-
thorities sent some of the strike lead
ers to prison for long terms, while the
outraged miners soon plucked up cour-
age to denounce the union and return
to work.
1t is interesting to find, in this con-
nection that President Whites report
for 1913 shows 5,66l members of the
union in British Columbia, while the re-
port of the Minister OF Mines for 1912
shows only 5.275 underground coal mine
employees in the whole province. Also.
that by a pleasant fiction, as officially
announced from week to week in the
United Mine Workers Journal, the
strike" IL still on in Vancouver ISL
and, though the mines are working full
time with n waiting list of men who
want work.
The report OF the Colorado Bureau of
Mines says nothing regarding wages;
but census bulletin gives the total
| wage cost of mining ton of coal in
| 1909 In Colorado as 80 cents and In
| Illinois as 81 cents. The Illinois Bureau
| of Mines gives the average number of
| days work in 1912 as 100, though
| the Geological Survey gives 1874 days.
| In Colorado the average was 227 days,
and in the United States 223 days. 1t
| will be seen, therefore, that the Colo
| RADIO. miners have steadier work than
the average miner and much steadier
than the Illinois miner
Since a union card brings financial
| loss rather than gain, II may be worth
while to inquire whether there are other
| advantages which Offset this pecuniary
loss.
a Shorter hours can hardly be a matter
| worth going to war about. 1t Is vel
known that the miners, constituting the
greater number of coal mine employees
are paid by the ton and are free to work
as few or as many hours as they please
and that they rarely work eight hours
in any one day. OF the employees a
day wages some work nine hours, Others
ten hours in non-union fields. But 4
can hardly be contended that a mar
who works only 227 to 266 days a veal
is overworked. even when his days con
sist Of ten hours. Any man slncerel,
DESTROYS of getting on in the worlt
would want to work more than five day,
"A week.
Neither can the privilege of trading
where ne pleases he a genuine point ol
contention by the miners The fact
that independent stores exist near al
coal camps that have been established
for any length Of time Is prima facit
evidence that the miners have, anC
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05

in the year than in the strong union
States, where there are greater labor
disturbances.
For example, the union miners Of
Illinois had only 100 days work accord
ing to the State Bureau of Mines. or
1914 days according to the Geological
Survey. while the non-union miners of
West Virginia had an average OF 266
days work in 1912. West Virginia coal
and Illinois coal compete for the same
markets. 50 there seems no reason eX-
cept the strikes ordered by the union
why Illinois miners should not have as
steady work as those in West Virginia.
The Illinois union miners were on strike
an average of 33 days in 1912. while
the non union miners of West Virginia
had an average of ~ days more work
than their union brethren in Illinois.
If II Is necessary to conduct such
extensive strikes at such an enormous
loss in wages while enjoying full "recog-
milton" of the union under a continuous
contract the unintiated may be par
doned for wondering what benefits the
union confers on the average member.
The mystery deepens upon discovering
that there were no sstrlkes in the non
union State OF Colorado in 1912, IA fact
deemed worthy of comment by the une-
motional Government sstatistician. while
in the stanch union State OF Illinois
II per cent. of the miners were on strike
an average of 33 days, or an aggregate
Of 2,026.526 days. At the 1912 average
rate of earnings as given by the state
Bureau of Mines this represents a wage
loss Of $6,7ss.s62.
Fortunately, the report OF the Illinois
Bureau of Mines contains a complete
categorical answer to the question:
What does the average member OF the
union get out OF all this turmoil and
idleness?
The answer Is contained In a table
showing the average annual earnings
OF miners for the ten years. 1t Is OBJ
vlous that ones income Is not repre-
scented by the daily rate OF wages. but
by the product OF the rate multiplied by
the number OF days worked. A man
receiving 800 a day would receive a
pretty high rate. but II he worked only
one day In the year, his annual income
would be 800. wouldn't It?
While the average rate Of the Illinois
miners was increasing the number OF
days work they contrived to get in a
year was declining, so that the average
annual earnings actually decreased
Comparing the annual average Of 1870;
with that Of 1912 shows gain Of 2h
per cent, it Is true, but in five years Of
the decade the annual average was les.
| than in 1908, so that the aggregate fol
the ten years was actually $5,24O
whereas II the 1903 rate had been con
tinued throughout the period the aggre
gate average annual earnings would
have been $5.426.
In other words, the result of going oil
strike for 16.574,340 days on orders
from the union and with all the bene
fits that recognition Of the union coul,
confer was a net loss of 1856 for eacl
miner.
This does not represent the total los
to the average man. for he had to pa.
dues and assessments. which the non
union miner. OF course. does not pay
And the Illinois miner paid every cen
charged against him by the union. be
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05

freely exercise. the right to trade where
they please; for as the entire populaS
ton is engaged in coal mining these
independent stores have no support eX-
cept that which comes from the miners.
President White, in his annual re-
port, published In the same issue of the
Journal, speaks of an assessment Of %
cents per member per month levied IN
September, 1918. and continued to date.
Apparently he had totally forgotten an
assessment OF so cents a month for
February and March, the official notice
Of which was first published in the
official journal of February 10. 1913
Another official notice in the journal oi
August 2S levies an assessment of 81
cents a month for September and otto-
Der, while still another notice, on Octo-
Der 16, continues the assessment after
October "till the strikes are won.
Here are five months In the year
covered by the secretary-treasurer' re-
port in which assessments of 90 cents
man a month were levied and col
lected. The paid up membership Tor
these months, according to President
Whites annual report, was as follows
| In February. 39S,276; in March, 363SON,
| in September, 334,576: in october, 4O2,-
| 347; In November, 374.35S. This makes
| the total sum from assessments $685.
$50. instead of $643,l61, as reported by
the secretary treasurer.
Here is little trlfe of s293.521, which
according to official communicate
published in the official organ of the
union seems to have been collected, but
which has totally disappeared from the
official report of the secretary-treas-
urer.
Is 1t permissible to digress from
denunciation OF Rockefeller and the
| 'inhuman conditions for which he is
alleged to be responsible to ask what
became II it?
The Apparent total disappearance Of
this large sum in a single year coul.'d
| with the recent conviction OF twenty
nine officers OF another labor union for
using the funds Of their organization
10 conduct a nationwide dynamite con
spiracy, the conviction a few years ago
of the notorious Sam Parks for using
the power OF his union to extort black
mail, and OF a number of similar cases
since then. throws into strong relief the
fact that the rank and file OF labor
unions have no protection from the acts
OF their officers, no guarantee that tn"
funds, sometimes large, entrusted to tn
care Of these officers will be honestly
administered.
Since Congress is so fond Of lnvesti'
eating labor problems, would it not be
a good idea to investigate the labor
unions themselves with view to devils
ing some safeguards that might be OF
service in insuring the humble payer
OF dues and assessments square deal
at the hands Of his own officers
Or would II be still better idea Ia
remember that labor unions represent
less than a sixth OF the voting strength
OF the nation. and so forget class legis-
lation for q season?
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05
The crater from a distance.

miles. Lassen peak Is the south ter
minus OF the Cascade range OF noun
tains. The Lassen peak volcanic ridge
is formed by q belt OF volcanic cones
25 miles wide and so miles long. Las
sen peak connects with Mount Shasta
by lava deposits.
Extending eastward over northern
California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho
and Montana is the largest lava field
in the world, according to the Informal
| ton contained In a Peport of a geo.
logical survey made in 1894 by J. s.
| Diller. The lava fields cover an area
of 100000 square miles.
Mount Lassen. Clnder Cone and the
whole region Whereabouts are said by
| scientists to have been the scene of the
| most recent volcanic activity in the
central Pacific coast of North America.
AS has been said, 1t Is supposed to have
been in action seventy years ago. The
| charred trunks of trees still stand
around Cinder Cone and Mount Lassen
| just as they were left when the molten
lava and sulphurous smoke poured
| from the craters and down into the
canyons.
The country Is of volcanic nature
contains a large number OF nat
ural curiosities that have for years
attracted naturalists and tourists.
Boiling springs, a boiling lake, gey-
sers, boiling and ice cold streams run
ming side by side mineral springs ard
other wonders make the district one of
great interest
Mount Lassen is l0,i37 feet high, and
has been covered with snow up to this
time. 1t is on a direct line 1870 miles
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05

~ oNSlDEkf.D as an d'aueHiiS
| theory the labor union is a good
~ thing. Viewed from the stand
point Of practical politics also
the labor unioneis a good thing-better
even than the pension list. Union labor
now musters 2,3S9,6 votes, which
rightly manipulated should be enough
to elect anybody. anything, anywhere.
Recent developments, however have
been such as to suggest inquIring
whether the labor union is really the
good thing II Is represented to be or
whether the members paying dues and
assessments are the good things.
In the mind of the average man the
dominant feature of labor unions Is the
strike. Most labor news which reaches
the general public is associated in one
way or another with strikes or threat
ened strikes,
Turning. then, to volume II Of the re-
port Of the Industrial Commission of
1901, we find that the loss of wages on
account of strikes in the United States
in the twenty years from 1881 to 1900
was s257,s63,i7S.
II would take great many days
take a much greater number of days
work to get back this loss in any posi-
BILE increase in wages over and above
the rate paid before the strikes. As
there Is no way to balance the account
by showing what was actually gained
II anything, the reader is left free tc
form any conclusion he pleases while
We turn to the latest available hgures
concerning all workers.
These are found In the twenty-firs
annual report OF the Commissioner Of
Labor. Not word is said about gain.
or losses by strikes, but the information
is given that there were 36,757 strike!
In the United States in the twenty-five
years from 1881 to 1905, of which $50
per cent. were ordered by labor or
CARNATIONS, and that these union
strikes involved 1863 per cent. OF al
strikers
In these disturbances 6,72S,04S per
sons struck and S,703,S24 were thrown
out of work for an average period o
2j4 days,
OF strikes ordered by labor organiza
lions is.4S per cent. were successful an
loI per cent partly successful, y
5SS6 per cent. of the strikes not ordere
"y Labor organizations were successful
ana 9S3 per cent. partly successful,
would appear that the union Is les
F"lent as weapon for forcing conces
SionS from reluctant employers tina
mas been alleged.
Further research Is disheartening
those who would promote their materis
welfare by organization. for the fact
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05

Springs was reached at e.: 80 and Tues
day night was spent there. The party
left brakes Springs at o'clock
Wednesday morning and were fortu-
nate enough to catch the afternoon
train at Westwood, reaching home at
Susanville on Wednesday night. Be-
tween brakes Springs and Westwood
they met several parties heading tow
ard the mountain.
brakes Springs Is but seven miles
from Mount Lassen and it is the near
est point at which any kind of accom-
modations can be secured. Those max
ing the journey at the present time
will encounter hardships and possible
danger. No one unaCquaintcd with the
mountain should attempt To scale 1t
without guides.
The films of the crater and its sur
roundngs were promptly developed,
only two being found to be spoiled.
They make an interesting and authori-
tative story of what actually happened
on the mountain.
Members of the United States Forest
Service were inclined DIT first to regard
dhe disturbance as Icing geyser-like in
character. The Susanville party in
cluded no one who claims to lie n
scientist, but j. l.. Bra mbla is familiar
with the action of volcanoes In the
Philippines and he is firmly of the opin-
ion that the action : volcanic. The To-
cation of the opening within a short
distance of the summit precludes the
theory of its being eyer, they say.
All members of the party are firmly
Of the opinion that the explosion OF
Monday morning was smoke.
There Is no indication of water in
the vicinity of the crater and the re-
port by the Forest Service that the snow
was melted from the mountain side and
that streams of yellow mud were rum
ming down the mountain was a mis-