The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-29
THE RIcHMoNp NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. pEcEMBER 3d. 1919
INDUSTRIAL 7, n. {. 4.
/ N v. VA. COAL MINES

mining fields b under way as re-
suit Of a meeting last week In
Charleston, when q plan was approx
ed for appointing two state mining
secretaries. securing the services OF
song leaders, and the experimental
uss OF women workers - in the army
huts. I
In addition to representative OPP
perators ad miners. there were pres
NJ, C. C's together with G. r. Townson
Of New York, head of the industrial
department OF tho International COM
n1ittee Of the r. NJ. c. A.. N. G..
Schlichtef, Of Chicago, general field
secretary for mining work, DR.. H. r.
kallenberE. health and recreational
exner, Of the International commit
tsc. Miss Katherine Buckley and
Miss Helen Policy, the last named
representing women ~" overseas
secretaries. Miss Policy is now serv-
ting in the nina ~ at whitmans.
G. w. Webster, OF Mount Carmel,
Pa. former "Y'' song leader at Camp
Merritt is the hrst OF the song lead
ers for the mine regions. He 1efr
New Yofk today to serve the region
including Harding, Bower. Mabie ana
Widen.
The discussions included the ~
service. to both employers and en-
ployes through educational. religious
health and recreationiy works In the
camps The study OF the field re-
veaied a growing demand for trained
secretaries. motion pictures. song
leaders and women workers.
Among the associations reor"snnt"d
at the meeting was that at Dscota,
W. Va, the first "Y" to be organized
In the West Virginia field. This ~"
which was instituted at the request
Of the Carbon Fuel company and the
Cabin Creek ConsoIfdated Coal COM
pany. has an interesting history.
The "Y" took over for its first hut
ut Decota what had been. in 1919,
the White Rabbit saloon. That this
saloon was lively place may be seen
population Of 7es or 500 used to
spend between $4,000 and ta.3ee over
the bar of the White Rabbit on pay
! lays. The old counter Is now th0
desk Of the ~ secretary. Joseph A.
Pa~e. tina first man In the field.
The new occupant made the plAce
social center. until today. Of the
2.500 persons living In Decota and
its environs there II scarcely . family
but Is represented In the use Of the
association. The families come Tor
miles down or up the s'creek" to
movies. lectures, educational claaDea
and rccreaional events whom the
roads are deep with mud.
Joseph A. Page, the nrst srcret1ry,
is stu In charge. but the ola build
ing has given way to a $40 .ee0 struc-
ture which has bowling alleys. pooi
and billiard tables. q soft drink coun-
ter. reading and writing rooms and
. big auditorium. II also has ost-
baseball diamond
In the mine fiei<s, whore there are
frequently no churches. ths 'Y'
building serves as \ community
church and tho different denomina-
| lions hold divine services there.
| In each case the association u Joint
~ supported by the company and the
workers themselves, and the mem
oership OF men and ofiScials runs to a
very high percentage. The men pay
more Toward the support OF the .sY''
than the companies. That the :sY''
has made firm friends Of the labor
ORGANIZATIONS was shown At the recent
international convention of the Y. NJ.
&c A at Detroit, where the West
/ Virginia coal mining delegate was a
| miner, Jointly appointed by the labor
union and company officials to repre-
sent the association In his town. The
employees 1t this plaes, ~ the way
are 100 per cent association members.
The diversity Of work IN the various
mine 'sY~ huts L. wide. Al practically
all huts community outings, pAgeants
mass athletic meets and similar meet
ings are conducted Educat5DuA1 WORT
Is carried on among forejgn born
workers in English and Amertcanix-
alton constantly, AMI particularly rec
ignition b had Of the mead 10 carry
educational opportunities Of boys Who
through, many circumstances. have
had tolgo to work. before completing
schools In the instruction Of the hat
ter the lessons arc based on the prac-
tfcai problems OF the mines sum.
mer camps for boys add 10 the pro-
gramme and continue the educational
work along with the recre1tt0nal ode
/ Aside from this, the mueical men
and boys Of one village were organised
into . hand In another camp . ~
course In home nursing was arranged
the secretary securing trained NURSE
as lecturer.
| One unique ezpedtent which wa,
worked out BY q secretary resulted
! In bowling. tournament between
teams from Whitmans and Monaville
one team being made up Of foreign.
/ born workers and one Of Americans
Each team played on Its own alleys
the results being teiephoned to the
opposing team 1t the conclusion oil
tho game. Enthusiasm was a keen
over this a. II wonld have been 0ves
worlds series BASEBALL gAni~
For the bemetAt OF thoee who are
unable to read, one secretary in the
''Y" at Burnwell. W. Va. stationed
himself in the library Of his hut two
nights each week to read aloud from,
technical Journals. newspapers, mag
axines and standard literature This
draws eager audiences and has slim
| ulated the formation OF classes.
Employer and employee bear joint.
~ the responsibilities of directing the
activities Of the association. Follow.
! ing Is a typical classification OF the
men making up tina councils Of one
lassociation--the only difference be-
tween II and others being that II 4
somewhat larger than the average:
dtggers -. drivers II. supcfintende nts
and store manAgeyc 10 each. store
| Clerks 8. pit bosses 6. outside forremen
and mine clerks 4 each. school princi.
pals. fire bosses and machinists each,
watchmen, hosting engineers, washer
foremen. mine track layers, rope rid
.crs. master mechanics, electricians. tip
pie foremen, shot firers, locomotive