The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-04-14
FORMER PRESIDENT OF MINERS
TALKS IN MARKET
AUDITORIUM.
Discussed Situation In Eastern Ohio
and hooking Valley Coal Fields.
Companions Made.

That the miners OF the Eastern
Ohio coal fields are being deceived In
to prolonging the strike which has
now been In progress for more than a
year was the statement OF Tom l.
Lewis OF Columbus. a former resident
OF Bridgeport. who was formerly in
ternationsl president OF the United
Mine Workers OF America. in address
ing a meeting OF business men. last
night In the assembly room of the
Market Auditorium. Personal ambi-
ton and political desires have pro-
longed the strife and prevented us
settlement. he said. while the issues
have been beclouded and attempts
made to misinform the public Hun
dreds OF miners. he said. do not under
stand the real issues involved. and in
fact. he added. IL is doubtful ~ many
except the leaders on the miners side
really do understand them.
The meeting was held under the
auspices OF commercial organizations
OF this district. and was attended by
about nifty business men. including
several from Bridgeport and Bellaire.
Mr.. Lewis discussed the strike sit
uation at considerable length, going
into detail with reference 20 It's var
ious phases. He reviewed the events
which have transpired since the meet
ing OF the miners International organ
ization. In January. OF last year.
when. following the usual custom. an
Increase In wages was demanded. The
operators OF Ohio seemingly were the
only ones confronted by the run-of-
mine proposition. and their refusal
TO meet the demands was taken by
the miners as an attempt to evade
the law. The speaker then related the
proposals and counter proposals at
the Philadelphia and Chicago confer
ences. Following the latter. he said,
the miners representatives held a
meeting, sitting as a policy commit
tee, and drafted a plan. whereby lead
ers OF districts. groups of districts
and subdistricts were to negotiate
wage questions. This policy commit
tee had no authority to set aside the
action OF the international convention,
he said. but when the proposition was
submitted to a referendum vote. II
was ratified by a majority OF more
than $1,000. II was recommended.
that in view OF conditions throughout
operators at the equivalent OF the pre-
yious years scale.
Recalls Miners Actions.
Mr.. Lewis related incidents OF the
Columbus meeting OF the miners rep
resentatives. and said when the modi-
fied the original proposition instead
OF submitting II TO a referendum or
the miners. they made a mistake. UpI
until the August conference i'm Wheel
ing. the operators had not offered an
equivalent TO the former years wage
under the screen-mined coal basis,
and this was claimed to be an evasion
OF the law.
The former international president
discussed the several conferences
which were held In an attempt to end
The bitter struggle. but which were
unsuccessful. He then told OF the ap-
peal to the Federal government Az
ter the investigation had begun. he
said. another phase entered into the
situation through a change in admin
istration in Ohio. ID was sought to
impress upon the legislature. he de-
clared. that the run-of-mine law pre-
vented a settlement of the strike. and
az Washington IL was decided. accord
ing to best information. that following
the filing OF the report OF the con-
oiliators nothing would be done until
elteT lne OnlO legislature decided
upon pending legislation.
Hooking Valley Situation.
The speaker declared that the meth
cd OF calculating the amount Of
screened coal by averaging the per-
centages for the Hooking Valley. Cam
bridge and Eastern Ohio districts was
unfair to the operators of the latter
district. The miners OF Eastern Ohio.
he said. were led to believe they were
going 10 get an increase in wages by
voting a reduction on the miners OF
the Hooking Valley district. The
Hooking miners signed up at a reduc-
ton OF FIVE cents less than the pre-
vious years scale. he said. Leaders
OF the Eastern Ohio miners made the
statement before the mines and min
Ing committee Of the Ohio legislature
that they were striking for an advance
in wages. and admitting At the same
time that the Hooking miners were
reduced.
Referring 10 his activities in behalf
Of organized labor in the past 30 years.
Mr.. Lewis declared n he could have
his way no man would enter a mine
for less than three dollars per day.
However. he said. he is not unmindful
~ the fact that the iron-clad law OF
competition governs what can be paid
in wages. lie then explained the com