The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-01-23
MINING COMPANIES
ANNOUNCEMENTS
No Promise Made
to Take Over
Contracts
THEY DO IN PRACTICE
Burke Union Makes Charge
That is Not Sustained
By Facts
THEY DO IN PRACTICE


by the district miners union of Burke
the state federation of labor in ses
sion at Boise, adopted a resolution
eondemning the mining companies o
alleged failure to refund the amour
paid by employees under contracts t.
purchase Liberty bonds when the,
have been thrown out of employment
through the curtailme,It or the sus'
pension of production. I'm bringing
this matter to the attention of the
state federation, the Burke union is
sued quite a lengthy statement, from
which the following is an extract:
Claim Of Union.
During the many drives we have
had for Liberty Bonds, War Savings
Stamps, Red Cross and other war re-
lief, we were asked to buy, buy, buy
until it hurts, and then some. We
were assured steady employment if we
bought or donated in installments
in case the workman could not pay for
the bond, he would refund the amount
paid thereon and assume the bond
himself.
with those rosy promises before
them, but little trouble was expert.
enced in selling bonds or stamps, with
the result that wages were mortgaged
for months on the prospect of steady
work, for the purpose of helping our
government to finance the war and
back up our members at the front
After Today layoff during the
holidays, without moments warning,
OH January 3, the mines and mills
CT injected Herewith closed down in
definitely. Two payments on bonds
are due in January. The holders, being
out Of work, cannot meet this obliga
ton, and the employer refuses to re-
turn the amount already paid on them,
so the workman finds himself with a
partially paid bond and must borrow
the balance or lose all"
Facts in the Case.
At a time when there are so many
matters in the industrial world re-
quiring adjustment, it is unfortunat1
to have the situation complicated by
the publication of this unwarranted
charge. 1t is not claimed that the
Burke union has knowingly misstated
the case, but the action must have
been taken without due investigation
otherwise the Miner is sure it would
never have received the approval OF
the union. So far as this paper is in
formed, both from memory anu
through investigation since the charge
made by the union was published, the
mining companies made no promise
whatever regarding refunding money
on partially paid up bonds. But as
matter of fact, it is known that sew
eral companies, and 1t is probably
true of all of them, have taken the
bond contracts off the hands OF EN-
ployes leaving their service In ever!
Instance that application has beer
made. The Miner is also informed
from a source that leaves no doup
as to its truth that when the rama
rack & Custer closed down rev
weeks ago, announcement was mao
by the management that all employs
having payments to make on pono
would be relieved of their contract
and have payments already made re
funded If they so desired. But IN
action of these companies was purel
voluntary and not in the performanc
of promise. which they expressi
state was not made.
For Drafted Men.
The only promise that was mao'
so far as the Miner can determine
was in connection with the fourt
Liberty loan. At that time the secoh
draft law had gone into effect ana
curse a great number of employe
and others were subject to call int
military service. Many of these woul
be unable to meet the payment fc
bonds If they were called and undf
the circumstances hestitated to sur
scribe. In order to enable them
perform their patriotic duty and II
lieve their minds of uncertaint
James F. Mccarthy, chairman OF u
Liberty loan campaign in this count
issued a public statement in Septen
Der, In which ne said:
Anyone subscribing for bond
the fourth Liberty loan and VINO
called into military service before u
18th Of January, 1919. may be r.
iieved of his contract for the purcha