New-York tribune., 1918-07-19

erto has. not been fully efficient. a
S.eaC gam viii be made in the total
amount of coal that can be moved from
TINS district.
Labor Sole, Question
=, SO now the production problem of
.ne Fairmont district is largely that
OF getting labor. During the long
per'oo OF enforced idleness or part
away from the district. Many have
Volunteered, others have been drafted
ana large numbers have sought en-
pioyment in war industries
IL is worthy of note that were it not
Tor deep-seatcd patriotic conviction
on the part of many of the miners that
lt was their duty to their country to
stay mere the labor ranks would have
been still more depleted
Mr.. Watson says there is no oucs-
ton that men who were not earning
enough to pay their current grocery
oills have stuck in confidence that the
tlme would come when every man
would be needed to produce coal to
drive the war to a successful con-
clusion.
These men are getting their reward
$500 month. For instance. Georrc
Hoimes. negro loader. who came
mere from Alabama, made S1S2.S0 in a
fortnight.
Few Work Full Time
Even here, though, there is much
room TOR increased production wher-
eyer the supply of cars is abundant.
very few of the actual miners work
their full forty-eight hours week
lhey can make so much money in less
time that they naturally take it easy.
Any work they do beyond earning
enough tc satisfy their standards of
what ls enough" is for the public
good rather than for the additional
wage
All appeals to the men for greater
production now rest entirely on the
patriotic motive. Every man who
n, ne cares to is putting in an hour for
the nation The miner is told that the
war gives him new dignity. He is
told tina. in the last analysis the whole
lighting power of the nation comes
back TO him--that he is the backbone
OF all industry, that coal in sufficient
quantity Will win the war, that food
steel. munitions, ships. railways, every
other industry, depend for their sue
ecssful participation in the war upon
coal mining.
ne fuel administration is requisi-
tonlng all the returned soldiers, chief
~ men recovering from wounds or in
capable of further service, it can find
10 60 among the miners and tell them
or the great struggle cover there" and
point out the direct connection be-
power of the nation.
Inspired by Wives
through woman workers it is reach
ing the miners wife. She is told of
the vital Importance of her husbands
work; that compared with him many
other classes in the community are
mere parasites; that his calling IS one on
OF high dignity and inestimable i'm
portance.. 1t is suggested to her that
she can help her husband by sparing
nm from domestic worries, by keeping
MIN we'll fed and physically comfort
able ana generally fit for his i'm
portant national service
There is no denying that the first
erect OF increased wages in the coal
industry was decrease in the average
daily time put in by the actual miners
1hls was very human outcome.
The coal miner is an independent
sort of person and inherits tradition
OF short hours from time when long
hours were impossible on account Of
poor ventilation of mines and other
things that made for fatigue or ex-
haustion in q short time
Lengthens Working Days
Now, however, purely in response to
the patriotic appeal, he is gradually
lengthening his working time. and
some of the miners are getting IN
to a full forty-eight hours a week.
When it is considered that taking the
industry as whole a majority Of the
miners are foreign born, that many
Of them are actually alien enemies, in
technical sense, this is remarkable
achievement. 1t cannot be denied that
the conception of the war as not merely
struggle between nations. but as n
decisive fight for democracy, liberty
and the rights of man has reached and
profoundly influenced them.
If you are disposed to find fault with
the miners because they are not vet
working to the limit of their physical
endurance remember that most of them
are now working longer each dav for
me sole purpose of helping to win tho
war. Are you working an hour more
each day than suits your convenience
to the end that democracy shall
triumph?