The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-10
MINE WORKERS
LEADER SENDS .
SHARP PROTEST.
DISCRIMINATION IN
RAIL COAL CONTRACTS
In Eastern Ohio Territory Is
Alleged in Telegram to
Director General

rNDIANAPOLlS. Ind. May ?.-ln a
lengthy telegram from John l.. Lewis.
acting president of the lnitcd NINE
Workers of America. to Walker D.. Hines
director general OF railroads, made pub
lie here tonight, tho railroad adminiStra-
tion is charged with showing diScrimlha- :
ton in it's purchase Of railroad coal ~
tho face OF it's ANNOUNCED policy ot
equal distribution"
The telegram declares that the qucs-
tion is OF vital importance 10 the miners
affecting their daily life. and That there
is a question Of human equation ana
human values involved which In all SIM
ccrity warn you cannot be diSre-
gardcd.
The telegram states that headquarters
Of the Mine Workers has been nuthori-
tativrsy advised that in Ohio the Column
bus and Pittsburgh division Of the rem,
sylvania Lines Nest has hllctcd an
contracts for locomotive fuel for eleven
months To TWO producing companies IN
district No. 5 Of Ohio. whereas thl"
business hcretofrrc has been shared By
II companies. II declares further that
authoritative advices arc 10 the encct
that the Pcre Marquette has arranged TO
secure. five hundred thousand tons or
coal from West Virginia heretofore fur-
nishcd BY Ohio operators. and that ihrec
million tons annual production furnished
for period of several years by tho Fo-
tomac coal field in Maryland is now Sc
cured elsewhere. continuing, -hr. Lewis
in the telegram says:
1T is slartiinsly apparent That these
acts Of tho railroad administration DO
in no wise conform to the conception
have Of our policy cnc"rninE distribu-
tinn Of contracts, and | frankly confess
am al loss TO comprehend the Harl-
ance between words and actions.
The United Mine Workers have dill
gently sought 10 impress you thai this
question was ono OF vital Importance It"
our peopc and affected their daily lifc
as individuals to tho degree nf dctcrmin-
ing whether they shall live in comparu-
tive comfort or. poverty. There is a
question of human equation and human
values involved which. in all sincerity.
4 --wnrn y>u cannot be disregarded,
"There Is not. mol. can thera by any
moral Justification for the pursuit hy
an agency Of our government Of Il policy
which unqudlifiedly disregards the In
hcrcpt right Of such a large number OF
our citizenship RS Is affected by these
instances and those previously noted
you.
Tho United Mine Workers have. in
every honorable way. by application OF
reason and logic. sought to obtain the
application Of a, practical common sense
business policy by the railroad adminis-
tration which would protect the inter
ests Of all clements in the coal indus
try and the public. From your attitude.
expressed In personal conferences l
hnve had reason to assume you were
impressed. at least TO some degree. by
our representations. and I stand aghast
at the tcmerity which leads you to 30
fiagrantly disregard the rules Of equity
which should obtain affecting the inter
eSts involved. May be honorcd by an
immediate reply from you concerning
these matters?
The telegram is dated May S. Thus
far. mine workers officials said tonight.
no reply had been received from Director
General Hines.