Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-08

R0.)
The loading reports included the
southeastern Kentucky and Kanawha
fields.
Washington's highest grade bitumi-
nous coal comes from the New River.
Pocahontas and Kanawha fields. That
is, it used to; none of it is going to
Washington now.
Union Men I'm Non-Union Mines.
condition exists throughout all
these fields that is puzzling-that is.
that hundreds of miners who are
members of the United Mine Workers
of America are working in the mines
here. putting in full time and work
ing much more steadily than they did
in the closed shop mines. despite
the fact that the fields. practically
speaking, are unorganized.
Men from the Georges Creek and
Upper Potomac fields, Somerset, Fair
mont, Clarksburg and Grafton fields.
who are on strike as far as their
own districts are concerned. are down
here working in. non-union mines
alongside non-union miners. Appar-
emily q union man may work in a
non-union field as much as he pleases.
but a non-union man may go into
union mine only at the Imminent risk
of cracked skull.
Change in Conditions Noted.
After a visit to these fields it is
easy to see why they have not been
materially affected by the strike. Con-
ditions such as made the Cabin Creek
and Paint Creek scandals possible
few years ago have been wholly
changed-they no longer exist. Miners
ara housed in comfortable. neat four
room and five-room cottages. with
that cost them 81 to 50 month. All
the coal they want is furnished for
$125 a month. Services OF doctor
for the miner and his whole family
costs $1.25 a month. There has not
been a serious car shortage anywhere
1916-17. And company pay rolls show
hundreds Of miners making $48 to $50
q week for months at a stretch.
In Cumberland mine union ofncials
said:
"Better keep away from Logan
county. and Cabin Creek and down
there. Tho operators have regular
gangs of gunner. and stranger gets
shot up or beaten up before he has
time to explain. They'll murder a
newspaper man if they spot him."
Those officials had things sized up
wrong. Nobody made bad move:
company officials answered every ques-
ton and even suggested some. besides
showing payrolls, operating cost ~heets.
production records. etc. and TIL made
Arrangements for The Stars cor ,pon-
dent to visit as many Of the min as
are set forth above. with information
gathered from miners as well as from
bosses.
Voluntary Advance In Wages.
The Winding Gulf Coal Operators
Association had its annual convention
and love feast at the reenbrier White
Sulphur Springs Friday. A voluntary
increase of about 90 per cent in miners
wages. effective December /, was one
way the operators took of showing ap-
probation Of the loyalty Of the men
working in the sixty mines represented.
This increase comes on top Of a IL per
cent increase given several months ago.
Not one of the sixty mines has lost a
day during the strike. the miners even
volunteering to work on Thanksgiving
day. The mines have an annual output
Of 5000. 900 tons of "gulf smokele
and work has been started on projects
that will enable a daily production of
at least 5000 tons. One of these new
developments, it is estimated, will cost
about 100000.
The operators were guests at the
annual banquet given by E. E. White,
president. here yesterday (Sunday), ad-
journing to-talk with operators of the
New River. Pocahontas and Tug River
fields at the Greenbrier White Sui
phur Springs.
Operators Coming to Washington.
A meeting of the operators asso-
citation. representing all four fields. is
to be held in Philadelphia tomorrow
Tuesday. at which. it is stated. big
plans for wage increases and in
creased production will be perfected
and announced. On completion of it's
business in Philadelphia, it is under
stood, the meeting will adjourn to
Washington to confer with DR. Gar
field in an effort to find some means
whereby they may be permitted to
fill their contracts with eastern buy
erS. F. q n