Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-01-17
Miners Walking Streets Unable
to Get Work. Is Statement
by Delegates at Indianapolis
Convention,
COUNTRY HAS 0UTGR0WN
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Anthracite Region Not 0nIyI
Unable to Get Output Hauled
but Cannot Get Timbers Re-
Quired,
10y .oHn,se JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wrsEt

t.Y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wIsEt
indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 16.--Lead-
ers among the 1900 delegates here
from the twenty-one coal producing
states of the country attending the
biennial convention of the United
Mine Workers of America, expressed
ness interests in many sections that
are suffering from fuel shortage in
the present severe weather.
The announcement from Washing
ton, shutting down manufacturing in
dustries for five days made the miners
realize more than ever before the
seriousness of the situation and the
Importance of their work to the COM
fort and prosperity of the people. AS
serious as the situation is. the miners
say they feel they have done all that
is possible under present conditions
to relieve tho sitratiar
Railroads Are Blamed.
THE trouble is with the railroads"
said John p. White, former president
of the miners union, who now is asso-
ciated with National Fuel Administra-
tor Garfield as labor adviser. Mr.
White, who is attending the conven-
ton as delegate, said
1T is not a question of production
There is plenty of production, but the
railroads cannot move the coal that is
mined There are miners walking the
streets in mining towns right now,
unemployed because the railroads do
not furnish cars.
There are miles and miles of load
ed coal cars on railroad tracks that
are not moving, The trouble is the
country has out-grown the railroads,
The railroads have not kept the pace"
Many Idle Miners.
Mr.. Whites remarks regarding idle
time among the miners was confirmed
by talks with many delegates from diff
ferent parts of the country. One lead
er said there is no general idleness
anywhere, but that in spots, many
spots he said, men are not working
full time because of the lack of rail-
road cars. In the central Pennsyl-
vania bituminous fields, one delegate
said, some miners are working on an
IL
week for the last three or four weeks.
In parts of the anthracite regions
coal companies are not only unable to
get cars but are not able to get suf-
ficent timber, because of railroad
congestion, to timber the mines. This
means the operations must be sus-
pended until the working places are
made safe for the men.
Practical Demonstration.
The miners today received prac-
tical demonstration of what a coal
shortage means. Their convention ad-
Journed before noon until tomorrow
to permit committees to meet. This
an afternoon off, but there was no
place to go; because the county fuel
administrator last night ordered all
theaters, moving picture houses, bowl
ing alleys, billiard and pool rooms,
lodge rooms, saloons and churches to
close at once and to remain closed
until further notice. There was some
grumbling among the miners over
their restricted freedom, but all real
lied the probable necessity of the ac-
uon. The convention did little today
Former President White made a
strong plea for the ratification of the
Washington wage agreement through
which the miners received an advance
in wages
Foreign Language Problems.
The early adjournment for the day
-