Arizona republican., 1919-10-31
Mine Executive Board Says
Presidents Position In
Regard to Strike Is That
Of An Usurper
[RepubIlcan A. p. Leased WireI


ment court action intended to prevent
the strike of bituminous coal miners
from becoming effective tomorrow
was forecast here tonight. 1t
was learned that John T. Crayton,
special assistant to the attorney gen
eral in charge of the bureau of inves-
tigation, has been in Indianapolis all
day directing a corps of investigators
in this and adjoining districts. 1t was
reported also that A. B. Anderson,
judge of the federal district court, had
been requested by the department of
justice officials to hold himself avail
able tomorrow and Saturday.
After dispatching to Washington
telegram to Secretary of Labor Wilson,
in which the presidents position on
the coal strike was characterized as
that of an usurper, the executive board
of the United Mine Workers of America
today turned to routine business. AL
though actual strike was less than S6
hours away, the governing body of
the union devoted the afternoon to ad-
juting disputes between locals and in
dividual members, and at the end of
their session said there was nothing
of public interest in the proceedings.
terested in the arrival here tomorrow
of C. B. Ames. assistant to the attorney
general in charge of suits brought uR-
der the antitrust and fuel and food
control laws. The union leaders learned
with apparent equanimity that there
had been unusual activity among local
agents of the department of justice
and professed faith that their every act
l.aI al.v- NJ nA Cfft
tional rights which no statute could
abrogate.
At the office of the United States
district attorney there was no an
nouncement as to what proceedings
might be instituted in regard to the
strike. L. Ert Slack, the district at
torney, was said to be in Chicago, but
members of his staff would not admit
that his trip there had anything to do
with the strike situation. They said
he was expected back at his desk here
tomorrow.
owners and public could rest assured
that no act of the organization would
be allowed to work physical damage TO
the coal diggings. They pointed Out
that the strike order provided that local
unions must allow sufficient "men to
remain at work to insure the proper
care and protection of all mining prop
erty in conformity with the provisions
Of the district agreements in the sew
eral fields"
Building fences against charges that
the demand for six-hour working
day was calculated to reduce produc-
tion, the statisticans of the union as
la 4n,r- lob fhar- cot
proved that even the country's peak
production of S5,000,000 tons of BIZ
| luminous coal in 1918 was not the limit
Of the industry. They said this was
dug with the mines averaging only
about 70 per cent of capacity and with
| the skilled working fogce reduced by
$4,000 miners in the army and navy
| Out of a possible 312 working days in
the year, they said western Pennsyl-
vania miners averaged ESQ, Indiana
249, Illinois, 22S, and Ohio 224. The
bulk of the bituminous tonnage came
| from those states.
Against this record they set figures
| for 1919, which they said showed that
| the mines had operated at not to ex-
ceed SO per cent of the time. Despite
| this reduction in time, they said the
| lHlS DTOQuCllO1 VI LAC NOohlly AP ~
October IS, was S79 100000 tons, only
103, 100000 tons less than in the same
perIod of 1918. They estimated thai
the mine workers will not average more
than 1se working days in 1919 anC
claimed that a full working force
working steadily throughout the zeal
can produce 100000, 900 tons if neet
be. They said the estimated needs o.
|
tons.
these figures show" said Elli'
Searles, editor of the unions maga'
zine, that there are too many miner,
In the coal business for an eight-houl
DAY. The shorter day would distrfbut,
the work evenly throughout the yea
and IL would take only a short time II
educate consumers to buy on the bash
of steady, rather than seasonal pro
duction.
Furthermore eight hours may b,
short enough for men working in tn,
fresh air and sunlight, but it is to,
long a period for continuous labor il
the dark under forced ventilation
Men work themselves out quickly II
dungeons"
| Increased wages are necessary, h
said, because in 1918 Illinois min
workers of all classes averaged earn
ings Of s1.390.3S. The first six month
Of 1919 showed average earnings o
s572.0s, he said, indicating decrease
earning powers in the face of con
stantly mounting living costs. Fror
January l, 1913, to July l, 1919, he SAID
the mine workers of the central com
petitive field had averaged yearl