Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-28
The Operators, Side


10 the Editor Of the Euenino Public Ledger:
Sir--The mining of bituminous coal
being a question of such vital impor-
tance, particularly at this time, when
virtually all of the supply is cut off
because Of the miners strike for increase
IN wages, may I have tho privilege of
relating few facts in the columns of
your progressive paper?
Like many others. have been greatly
interested In the articles written by your
Mr.. Mccain, who has presented the con :
dition of the miners in localities he
visited so clearly and correctly. While
the work of miner may be hazardous
and uninviting in some cases. the ma
Jority is quite the reverse. For ex-
ample, mine which is operated ac-
cording to the state industrial commits
sion, must obey rules and regulations
regarding the safety and comfort of the
employees. The mines are regularly in
spccted by state officials who are ex-
pert mining men and any deficiency in
requirements is Immediately reported to
the authorities and regulations are en-
forced at once, under penalty The
health, as well as safety. of the miner
is, therefore, guarded while he is at
work. On coming out of the mine, he
has sanitary bathhouse. supplied with
hot and cold shower. lavatory and dry
ing room. heated by steam. at his dis
posal, and where his working clothes,
II wet, are dried, ready for next day
He is then hauled to his home, one
half or two miles distant in motor
vehicle, without charge, and called for
in like manner the following morning.
A miner dislikes outside work as the
temperature in n mine remains virtually
uniform, winter and summer, about 20
degrees.
Under these conditions it is unfor-
tunate that miners who are happy and
contented, well paid at present scale
and comfortably housed in their own
homes largely, cannot resume work
without sacrificing their membership in
the union.
AS to the wages which an indus
trious miner, inexperienced, can earn,
let me illustrate. A farmers son, lust
past sixteen years of age, was given
a room from which to load coal. on DC
tober 16. He worked ninety eight
hours in fourteen days, an average of
seven hours daily. and his pay envelope.
October 81. contained over $p4. An old
miner, working the same hours. re-
ceived S134. These are not exceptional.
1t all depends on the man. This applies
to what is familiarly called the miner.
but who. in reality, Is a loader, his
work being to break up and load the
coal in mine run form, into mine cars
placed beside him after the coal has
been undercut by electrical machines,
thus doing away with the old method of
picking. The car. when loaded, is i'm
mediately removed by locomotive or
other motive power, and an empty car
substituted without work or effort on
the part Of the loader. All other work
men ''in and about the mine' receive
a minimum of So per day for eight
hours work. This includes outside
workmen as we'll.
1t is extremely unfortunate that the
miners themselves cannot decide upon
the compromise offer by individual vote,
but, more Is the pity, a large percen-
tage of them are represented by an in :
terpreter who is frequently a union Of
fetal also. Thus is the sanitary and
well regulated mine penalized If, by
some government authority, an individ-
usual vote could be taken on the
question Of resuming work, with
out disrupting the union, the prob
lem would doubtless be solved The
much discussed and alleged pro6tcering
of the operators Is without warrant or
reason. AS Is well known. the with :
drawal of price restrictions of coal at
the mine and the lifting of zone limits
took place February ] Of this year
At that time run of mine coal com
manded an allowed price of SO. 90 {. o. b.
mine. In few days the railroad ad :
ministratiou asked for bids on their
requirements, first canceling all out
standing contracts. The first bids re
ceived were considered too high, not
withstanGing they were below the gov
ernment price on February l. and new
bids were taken on requirements to
April l, 1920, and somewhere as low
as $1.60 and up to $2.10 per ton at
mine. These prices We're ruinous to the
contracting operators. but what were
they to do?' Their mines could not stand
idle except at severe loss. Industrial
concerns were watching the result aud
business activity being us yet at low
ebb, they would not place their orders
or enter into contract for requirements
at any higher price than the government
was paying until actually compelled to.
Operators who had installed additional
machinery to increase their output at
the government appeal Tor more ton =
mage, did 80 at enormous cost, as an
advance from 80 to 100 per cent was
added to all equipment and almost i'm .
possible to get even at that. Was
this patrioticy
The prevailing price on mine run coal
of first quality at time of the present
strike was 50, 20 to $24O net ton at
mine. Does this look like profiteering
There are coal mining companies by
the hundreds in the bituminous districts
which have not mado dollar net profit
since the war began nor can they un
less they apply an advanced price, set
by the government which will. at least,
absorb whatever increase may be granted
the miners BY the operators in the pres
ent struggle. ACCOUNTANT.
Philadelphia, November "a.
Execution Of General Angeles
Ha fhH Edftar NJ ths Es,sn{,to pubIl, T.do,..