Evening star., 1920-01-13

from fdSe.D
the sessions ordinarily would extend
from $50 am. until 1880 pm, that
the mine workers would present their
arguments through persons desig
mated by Mr. Lewis and that the oper-
ators would present their case
through some one of their number
to be designated. The commission
will not exclude any person who has
proper reason to be heard. and any
one wishing to appear as neither
operator nor miner should make ar
rangements through Herbert n. Shen
ton, executive secretary of the COM
mission.
Lewis Presents Demands.
In opening the case for the miners
Mr.. Lewis presented the demands of
the United Mine Workers, who, he
said. constituted 10 per cent of the
100000 miners in this country. These
demands are substantially as fol-
lows:
A 60 per cent increase in wages
over the rate existing October 81 last.
A six-hour day and five working
days per week.
Time land -a-half for overtime and
double time for Sundays and ho1-
sdays for all day laborers.
Pay days on weekly basis.
Abolish the double shift, which
would do away with night work.
Abolish automatic penalties.
Settlement of internal differences by
district officers
Agreement on a contract to be In
force for two years, beginning No
vember 1. 1919.
Mr.. Lewis then discussed the de-
mands in the order named. He SAID
that the miners had not had an in
crease in pay since October g. 1917,
and that a raise to meet the increased
cost of living was not enough, as the
standard of living in the mining COM
munities had never been high enough.
1.-The children OF the average min
ing districts are not raised under con-
ditions that give Americans cause TO
look on them with PRIDE said Mr.
Lewis, land we ask this commission
to give attention to the human equa-
tion. We are mindful of the rights OF
property, we are mindful of the rights
of capital, but humanity has a PRIOR
ity of right, and society owes an oo-
legation to the men who toll in the
mines"
Arguing for a shorter work day. the
union official said that though work
ing under a theoretical eight-hour
day the men actually spent from nine
and a half to ten hours underground.
as the workings were generally some
distance from the bottom of the smart,
and that it was impossible for the
men to come to the surface during the
lunch period. Statistics, he said. would
be submitted to show that the soft
coal miner did not work more than an
average of thirty hours week. and
that an adjustment was asked to sta
bilize this working period.
Commfssfon's Executive Force.
The executive force of the commits
sion includes Herbert n. Shenton. ex-
ecutive secretary; Samuel A. Taylor.
technical adviser; Percy Tetlow,
Charles O'Neil and F. A. Goldenweiser,
secretaries: X. c. Adams, director of
Information. Alexander c. King, coun-
sci; Mary Burke East, stenographer.
Mr.. Shenton is head of the depart
ment of social science of Columbia
University and served with the Coun-
Gil of National Defense; Mr.. Taylor rs
dean of the Pittsburgh School OF
Mines and served with the fuel ad-
Mr.. Tetlow is statis-
tician for the mine workers: MI
ONeil is secretary of the Central
Coal Producers Associa-
ton. and Mr.. Goldenweiser has been
employed by the Federal reserve
Board Mr.. Adams is editor OF the
American Coal Miner, and Mr.. King is
solicitor general for the Department
of Justice.