Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-02
MEN WHO DIDN'T FIGHT
NOW KEEN TO STRIKE
Leaders in Congress Have Been Looking
Up the Records of Miners and
Railroad Emp oyes

men and conductors -a total OF
900, 900 in these two industries. who
are now trying to hold up the
American people through strike
threats as against 43.2o6.s12 men in
all occupations. The congressional
students do not feel that the selfish
will of 100000 should stand against
the Industrial wage-earning interests
of 100000.
Exempted as Aliens.
In this same connection they point
out that in the steel mills it has been
shown that the employees were largely
foreigners. They got exemption from
military service because they were
aliens, and many of them withdrew
their first papers in order to make
sure they would not be called to bear
arms They were given wartime ex-
cessive wages, and this has not gone
into circulation in this country. but
much of it is being sent to the home
countries. The situation with regard
to the coal miners is practically the
same-a large proportion of them are
foreigners and send the bulk of their
pay out of the country.
= The way in which the coal miners
and railroad employees were protected
during the war is emphasized in Gen.
Crowder's report. He says: "A num-
Der of industries and governmental
agencies, such as the railroad admin
istration. the food administration, and
especially the fuel administration and
the coal producers. looked to the draft
as the source of the depletion. and
urged such action as would amount to
blanket deferment of their en-
ployes
Attracted by Higher Wages.
He also explains that what depletion
there was in these industries was due
to seeking better wages elsewhere
rather than to patriotic service In
arms. MANY industries had lost the
services Of a considerable number of
their employees through voluntary en-
listment in the Army and Navy dur
ing the early period Of the war. while
thousands of others had been attract
ed by higher wages offered in certain
fields of employment, such as ship
yards and munitions plants. The
operation of the select service law,
therefore, was not alone responsible
in fact. it was responsible to very
minor degree for the loss of employees
to the railroads and the coal-mining
industry.
=,
of the coal mine operatives taken I'M
der the draft the provost marshal gen
erals report shows. these Congress
leaders point out. that of the $4,000
bituminous coal miners only per cent
were indicted. With regard to the rail-
road workers in the four big brother
hoods the record is: Engineers. total
male employees. 110.700. and per cent
taken; conductors. 75.400 employed and
per cent taken: brakemen. 10000 en-
pioyed and IL per cent taken; hremen.
$500 employed and Is per cent taken.
Out of a grand total of $4,000 men
in eleven skilled railroad employ
ments the percentage of all ages
taken was 80, according to Gen.
Crowder's report.
The provost marshal general shows
that the draft was relatively small
factor in shortage OF manpower in the
mines. inferentially telling the Ameri-
can people that very few miners helped
to fight the world war.
Leader Mondell has kilograms show
ing that some coal miners are now get
ting $500 month and that the average
miner who works regularly gets $3.50 a
month