The daily progressive-miner., 1917-07-17
July g, 1917

July ;, lSlf Editor Progressive-Miner
 Ketchikan, Alaska,
 Dear sir
 Fifteen strike breakers were sent to the Jumbo Mine, Kennecott, coming up from Cordoya by special train July 2. The mill men notified the management that they would not work with scabs. to which the management replied that they would not allow anyone to dictate to them. The mill men, to the number of 70, promptly walked out and joined the miners, who had been out for three weeks. There is no one left at the mill except the officials, foremen, and few married men, who were of course exempted. Most of the mill men were old-timers and took this step only after careful consideration, and because their wishes were set at naught by the company.
 July 8 the strike-breakers deserted
 
 misinformed as to the nature of their work So the company's plans proved boomerang.
 Although the miners applied for board of arbitration June 30, there may be some delay in having the matter ad- iusted, as the government is fairly swamped with requests of similar na- ture.
 However, the miners could not con- tinue to be satisfactorily worked under the old wage scale, as 1t frequently slid down to point at which good miners could not be secured. There was such shortage of miners for two months before the strike that the ore out put was maintained with difficulty, and development work was at stand. still
 The Government should not expect much from company whose employees are discontented. It is all right to feed patriotism on crust when necessary. but it thrives better on regular diet. If the company had thought less of it's dividends and more of the government it could have saved itself and it's best customers lot of worry. There is no chance for the company to get the men back by appealing to their patriotism. The government could, if the men were sure they were doing it for the govern. ment, and for no one else. They don't believe in pocket patriotism.
 HAROLD JOHNSON, Mccarthy, Aaa. MINERS FAVOR GOVERNMENT
 CONTROL OF kENNEcOTT
 (Valdez Prospector)
 In a letter received here today by Wm. Conley, president of Local No. 1SS, w. F. M., George w. Barry, sec. retary of the local organization has the following to say in regard to the alleged pro-German sympathies of the miners.
 "Cordova Daily Times publishes ac- count, of "so-called" result of Ken. necott strike that is false in every par ticular. It states the strike Is a pro- German movement and claims only half of the men from Bonanza and Jumbo are out, when the actual facts are every man is out and are a unit in their demand for a scale of $4.5O and s4OO per day and board. Anyone visiting the camp and hearing their sentiments expressed openly would soon be satisfied it was anything but "a pro-German movement. I stood by a crowd of about two hundred and twenty-five men discussing the situat- ion with Lieutenant Koehler and when mention was made that there was a possibility of government taking the copper mines over, they shouted as one voice that they would work for the government for nothing if necessary.
 Please publish denial of thase mis. statements of the Times and any oth- CT of the adailies that think so lightly of truth and veracity as to publish ab. sOlute falsehoods."