Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-20
MINERS SUFFER
AS WORK HALTS
Ninety Thousand TN State Engaged
Less Than Half Time, Union
Official States.
CALLS PRODUCT A REAL DRUG
Harry 'FishWick, Vlee-president of
United Body, Gives Opinion
of Conditions.

ngfieId.-Ninety thousand
coal miners in Illinois are work
ing less than half time, according
to Harry Ffshwick, vice president
Of the United Mine Workers of I'LL
nois, who blames Industrial uncer-
tainty for the failure of the GOO
Illinois mines to operate more than
three days a week. In some sec
lions the men are working as little
as one day in seven, he declared.
The average, however, is said to be
two and half days a week.
In rare instances, where big
mines are filling extensive con-
tracts, work is comparatively
steady.
Operators are said to have made
no attempt to reduce wages from
the war time scale. Miners every
where in the state, it was declared,
are working at least a few hours a
week and. therefore, can not be
classed as unemployed"
F'ishwick said agents of the rail
road administration at one time
had attempted to buy up coal or
to contract for It in Illinois at pric-
es well under the scale establish
ed by the fuel administration. 80
far as I know" he added, this
practice was discontinued when
complaint was made by officials Of
the international Miners organiza-
ton" If the government had per-
sisted in forcing down coal prices
in this way, he said, there would
have been general distress among
the miners. With all government
restrictions removed, some of the
miners fear that the railroads Will
attempt again to make low price
contracts resulting in price reduce
ton and lowering OF miners wages.
Tho attitude IN Illinois on this
point reflects that IN Ohio where
miners' officials openly charged
agents of the railroad adninistra-
tlon with trying to force down coal
prices.
Coal isn't worth anything in
Illinois," Fishwick declared. ut
ties were stored during the war and
this hasn't been used up. Added
TO that, there Is the Industrial I'M
rest. Nobody knows what Is going
TO happen. If there was more op-
timism, l believe things would
straighten out all right. The pres
emit dullness in the coal industry
is partly psychological"
y Confirm Statements.
Coal operators confirmed Fish
wick's statements as TO the amount
OF work in Illinois mines. They
expressed confidence that a soiu-
ton would be found. They said the
war had added some 1000 miners
TO the normal number who would,
have to find employment in other
industries. Many new or abandon
ed mines were opened under the
war stimulus and now are unable to
survive, they said.
Tonnage figures, compiled by the
state department OF mines and
minerals, show slump in the
amount Of coal mined beginning
with November, when the armistice
was signed. In October S,286,o0O
tons were brought up, IN November
6,2S6,000, and IN December, the
last month for which figures are
available, 100000 tons. January
is expected TO show a still bigger
decrease.
For the year 1918, ending June 80,
record Of approximately 90,000,-
600 tons was set, and the wheels
were grinding toward an even 100,-
900, 900 ton mark for 1919 If the war
had continued.
The average normal yearly ton
mage IS said to vary between 3d.
100000 and 100000 in Illinois.