Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-03-22

ing IN idle. r!otous luxury. Il is true
that during the high productive years
of war time when voluntary increases
were paid for increased production, tie
average Of the Illinois miners went as
high as $3.50 per year. but s-nce the ar
rnistice was signed the average work
ing time has fallen 10 below r. per cent
Of the possible working time Apply
this condition to any trade CT profession
and contemplate the result. II " many
Of your readers know that by the agree
ment Of 1916 the sof; coal miners re-
ceiyed for mining a ton of coal 81 cents
for pick mining, - cents Tor macniHc
mining and s2ss per day for day a.or.
The average selling price Of the coal at
he mine was sl.25 per ton. BY mutual
agreement a raise was had in August.
1877 which brought TIE rate for mining
up to - and 81 cents per ton. and th.S
agreement the selling price was fixed
at s245 per ton. In Feb. 1919 the fuel
administration lifted the price restric-
ton and since then the selling price at
the mine has gone to $50 per ton, an
advance OF nearly 100 per cent in price
for the operator over the 1916 rate, but
the miners wages did not advance
with this rise. Another charge is that
the miners are nearly all 'Iliterate fer
eign revolutonists" The facts are Il at
in some of the mines in Southern Hi
ncis investigation showed that they were
100 per cent American and more than 80
per cent in all the mines are Americans.
As to their patriotism. the report CT the
union submitted TO their convention re-
Gently held in Cleveland, Ohio. shows
that 3.S2 members had served with the
American forces during the World war.
of whom 1898 had made the supreme
sacrifice. The International and local
unions together purchased in war saw
ings stamps and liberty bonds more
than $3.50 o0o. And the miners are cred
ton from 59C,o0onH tons in 1916 TO s4.-
Go.p0 tons in 1918. pretty good show
ing for an organization that has re-
ceived SO much unjust criticism from
the news gatherers." Now listen to
this. During the past % years with the
prestige of a powerful organization to
aid them the miners have not succeeded
in advancing the price of digging 240
pounds of coal one dollar. The war
demonstrated that great numbers did
not make an effective fghting force IN
less they wer properly organized and
we do not have TO go great way from
home to find an Illuminated illustration
Of this trusm. The retail coal dealers
have an organization consisting Of prob
ably not more than % members. The
coal necessary to keep the people in
those cities from being frozen into
they think IT necessary they simply
give notice in the form of an ultima
tum that ION and after this date coal
viii be 800 per ton more" This has
II months. but we do not remember of
attending any public Indignation meet
ings or of reading any press notices or
editorials on this menace to American
homes. industries and institutions" or
course we do not mind a dollar or two
on this end Of the line, but it is sig
nifcant that when the miners ask for
rev cents more per ton for digging
the coal great wave of manufactured,
paid for Indignation is set in motion.
The armed forces of the different states
affected are held in reserve, the courts
get into action, the miners are enjoined
from striking, their leaders are threat
ered with imprisonment and, as re-
suit, as stated by a public speaker here
in Augusta short time ago. THE
country was saved from the humilating
alternative Of Soviet government The
retail coal dealers no doubt could give
a good reason for their precipitous ac-
tion II they were required to do so and
in the same sense the application of a
small measure of justice and charitable
consideration for the demands of the
per ton would have discounted all Of
this camouf1aged ghost story about
Bolshevism, 1. W. w. ism. Sovietism.
Socialism, etc. all Of which we believe
to BE nat to part of s we cbcn
rapid advance of the organized labor
movement. II danger threatens the
stability of our Republican form Of gov
s,1snt = It cannot be aver,ed by any
Whatever danger the advancing wave
may seem to threaten existing in
stitutions. arises from attempts to
block the channel. There il no power in
America at the disposal Of the employ
ing class which can crush labor organi-
cations. Their opponents may double the
police. strengthen the militia, secure
control Of the legislative authority, put
the judges under their thumbs and buy
up every papeE In thu UnifAd GfafeS