The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1917-10-12
No Increase in Wages Unless
Operators Get More
For Their Coal
Southern West Virginia Fields Hard Hit--Ceal
Producer Loyal---Ask Government to
Allow Increase.

During the past week Q conference vas
held In Washineson between the central
competitive bituminous coal opersson
and the United Mine Workers of Ameri-
- in sn effort 10 agree upon . new scale
OF price, for workers in and about the
mines.
The central competitive field emhysces
Ohio. Illinois and Kentucky. and West
Virginia n effected by any agreement be-
tween the operstors and miners OF that
field. On Friday an agreement Vs.
reached, the operators granting an in
cresse OF 10 cents per ton on pick and
machine mining. 81. 30 for day labor. Is
per ssnt for yaydaee and dead work. IS
cents for trsppers and 81 0O for other
boys. but it Was expressly cgreed that
this increase would only become effective
In the event the government increased
the price ot coal and . Joint committse
OF OPERATOR and miners called upon Dr.
Harry A. Garfield. the fuel administra-
tor snd informed MIN that the only way
she miners could get the incresss in
Wsees which, would add 20 the cost OF
production from SIC 30 Sc per ton, the
eovernment must permit the operasors
a. advance the selling price of their coal
to thai extent st least DIR. Gsrfield took
the matter nnder consideration.
The Central West Virginia Operator
Association which embraces the Fair
mont coal fields lass week submitted 20
pr. Garfield detailed statements of the
coss OF coal which showed that the coal
industry would he greatly crippled IL the
price 6xed by the government 10 permit
ted 70 stand.
80 coal fields in the country are hit
harder than the Pocahontas, Tbscker
and Winding Gull fields snd it 10 in thsss
Rslds that the miners most keeniy feel
the pinch Of the high cost of living be
cause there 10 practically no farming nesr
by and the only food produced 10 in the
lirtle gardens high up on the mountain
sides which supply . few beans, potatoes,
greens and . Iittle corn for about one
month during the year. Prscsically the
entire food supply is shipped in from
Wholesale dealers in Bluefeld. Hunting
ton aud Charleston and when they reach
me hundreds oi busy mining towns the
consumer must pay prices that stsgser
During the months OF July, August and
September when string beans were sell
ing st retail in Huntington and Charlie.
ton ct from 6oc 70 50c per bushel, in the
many towns OF the sections mentioued
above they were selling &C retail ct from
Soc 20 tl.+0 per bushol. Potatoes retail
ing in the cities ct from Sl.25 to tl.o5
per bushel during the past 81 days cost
the miner from 81. rs 20 S2.2 The mer-
chants in these sections are not making
eyortitsnt profits. for in many inseancrs
pnd over many articles the small dealer
in the coal fields mentioned sells &C cost
plps express charges. The writer was
permitted during the months mentioned
20 Examine the youeherv and express -
ceipss for shipments of fresh veress,,r-
snd frcsh meats 81 four stores owned by
sosl compsniss. One OF thsse stores 10
in Mcerrer, two in Mcdowell and one in
Nineo county and having previously o.
csrtsined shat the copsumsrs we're psy
ing Tor these articles Of food % HE eur
prise re found that the companies we're
chsrgiDs just enough 70 cover cost and
erpre~ without . sent for overhead
cbyrgrs or pront- We do not vish 20
conyey the impression that coal com
psnies run their stores &C . los bat We
sssers that most OF the company storss
in Raleigh, Mercer and Mcdowell coun-
slss make profit OF lee than per cent
Co the invsssmens. The statement 10
bAsed upon personsl Investigations made
by The Publishers Of this pspsr and IL
shows that the operator 10 doing what he
can 70 ensble the miner 10 live on The
ssers he receives.
We cirs the foregoing faces W sbos
sbst the miner should and must receive
more psy II be 70 10 meet the ever 3D.
ysDcing coss OF living. keep up 70 the
American standard Of living. the ipcress-
"a taSes 10 support the war and educsts
hls children. That the operator should
ynd must zrt more for his coal II he 10 TO
psy the miner more Tor bis labor or even
70 continue 70 psy for labor what he nov
psys.
Most Of the coal produced In West Va
erosps that pnrcbsse'i by The govern
m~ns for the navy i- nov being so,d 70
the great industrial plants in the North.
Eass and wsss- some II 10 goss 70 Ene-
land end ths rsilrosds ~ some An q