The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-03
By uniting ne stand, BY dividing ne f4A
Then Join N hdnds. brave Americans al,
4 SUGGESTION.

M ONTHS before any one else seemed to be at all
4V4 interested IN such matters The West Vgnian called
attention 10 the difficulties which were bound to grow out
Of he drafting Of mine workers. We urged number
Of occasions that If the power situation such that
i warranted the government in extending exemption to
shpbwlder, the same policy ought to be followed with
regard to miners So far as we have been able to
Ieam operator took any really serious interest IN
he matter at that time AS matter of fact attention
seems to have been paid to the effects Of the draft upon the
labor suaon at the mines anywhere until last spring. when
the people in the hard coal region began to wake up They
had weatheTed bad winter and beginning to breathe
easier when the significance Of the heavy drafts Of the sum
meE months hit them squarely between the eyes.
Operators organizations and the draft boards Of the
three big anthracite counties in Pennsylvania, thoroughly
alarmed began a movement which had for its purpose
bringing Provost Marshal General Crowder around to
appreciation Of the seriousness Of the labor problem in the
coal regions The National Coal association. the Con-
gressmen from coal states and the mine workers organ
zaton were all Interested but far exactly nothing has
been ACCOMPLISHED What is more to the point il the
matter is permitted to drift much further, nothing will be
accomplished until the Fuel administration effort to keep
the public warm without at the same time closing the
plants which are backing up the army in France breaks
down like the Faimont water works did, in which event.
Of course, there would be much frantic and less
futile seamblng about to overcome the result Of past IN
difference and neglect
The reason for this state Of affairs is apparent at
dance General Crowder very able officer who has
given profound study to the matter Of raising great army
the United States, and may safely be assumed that
he neither in ignorance Of what going in the coal
fields nor Indifferent to the effects Of it. But his job as he
told the representatives Of the anthracite operators to
mobilize army. and he not going to let anything inter-
fere with that il he help it, In other words it going
10 take something more than statistical statement setting
forth the number Of the mines ought to have and the
number that has been drawn from them by the draft and
through volunteering to make him change his policy which
Is hat the district boards have plenty Of authority to take
care Of the mining industry if they are appealed to- And
be has done his work so we'll that those higher up are not
going to disturb him as long as matters are running
smoothly.
Now before the end Of this month, it may be before
The end Of next week. going to have pretty definite
idea of the military age limits and it is the belief of
this newspaper that just as this is known with
reasonable degree Of certainty the coal associations through
Ou the country should make quick survey of their men to
ind out just how many Class One men there are in the
mines who fall under the head of skilled men. Then
Though the National association these figures and frank
sateenl Of what it to the mining industry ara the
nation whole should be put into the hands Of the Sec
TelaEy Of War. Provost Marshal General Crowder, the
members Of the House and Senate Military affairs COM
mees and the senator's and representatives of each Of the
twnyx states which produce COAL and fight started to
set the kind Of men the mines cannot do without exempted