White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-26
Two-Thirds Of Unslxilled
Labor at Mines Now
Members of the Mine.
Mill and Smeltermen.

Frank SANFORD, president of th1
Nine and Smeltermens union. in
talking over the labor situation n
the district with a representative Of
the News, told of his experiences in
organizing the unshilled labor at
Kimberly and of his contact with
workers for the /. W. ".
Mr. Sanford said these diaorgan-
izers are approaching the under
ground men with the argument uhat
The man who works hard under
ground gets less wages and takes
more risks than do others who draw
down a gseater wage They urge the
miner and the laborer to affiliate
With the I. w. W. for the reason
that a grievance exists but do not
show the men any other way out
but By continual strikes.
The argu ment is advanced thai
organized labor all over the
country must be upset. Strikes
without direct objects must be called
az short intervals: strikes In which
the employe refused 10 confer with
ths operator; strikes that tie up pro-
duction completely and strikes on the
Job. or In other words. laying down
on the Job end retardinf prodnction
This argument" said Mr.. sanford.
should at once put every working
nan on his guard as everyone should
see the result of such program. The
very weapon that the l W. ". pro-
poee 10 use against the operators
would come back like boomerang
and iniuro the weapon thrower. at
this time. said MIR. Sanford. the sur
est way to keep up the high cost OF
living is to cripple production. Re
rarded production owing to strikes is
fhe cry OF the merchant as one of the
excuses for high prices
Organized labor said Mr. Sanford.
can offer to unskilled labor a solu-
tion OF the problem that the /. "
" seek 10 reach By trouble and agi-
iation without a definite object. The
Nine. Mill and Smelteremn's union
IS open To the miner and also 20 the
nnskilled laborer. This organization
affiliated with the great American
Federation of Labor, through dele
Gates elected to the Central Labor
council which comprises labor dele
gates who represent all craftsmen,
thus making great central body Of
al the workmen, who have equal
rights in convention. No craft has
the advantage. all delegates are
equal. At the present time the Nine,
Mill and Smeltermen. owing To the
different branches. have seventeen
delegates in the central council.
which gives common labor the hea1-
lest vote In the council. Here is the
chance for the unorganized work
ar lie is welcomed into the
union which has gained the right OF
recognition OF committees and these
committees are getting reeults toT
the betterment of the laboring man.
When asked about the working of
The eommissary stores of the com
'pany, Mr.. Sanford said that they
were working to the great advantage
OF the men, and that he believed
the saving to the married men was a.
least SIS a month. and that this
would be increased as soon as the
company erected the contemplated
building for the purpose of carrying
on the store in a wider field. The
commissary committee of the central
labor body make regular examiaa-
uon of the company store books,
which are open To inspection by tie
union men and report TO the central
body every Friday night "Sugges-
tions by the men for the betterment
OF the store are accepted willingly
by the company" said Mr.. Sanford.
These are some of the advantages
We are offering the unorgan:zed Ia
Dor OF the district said Mr. Sanford,
and We are getting results ln my
work among the men at Kimberly
during this month. | have got Over
lwo-thirds OF the unskilled labor 10
enter the Mine, Mill and smelter-
mems union. One of the arguments
used by the |. w. W. is tnat the
unions are not run on sound finah-
ciai basis We have like all other
great organizations. TO meet difficul-
Ties in the mode of management, but
We are going forward in every line