The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-07

is not involved. The pay of the miners is
the same as in the other Eastern fields. and
in some instances Is more During the
spring months, before the strike started the
daily earnings of the miners were from 81
to S25 a day. The pay rolls of the Crystal
Block Coal and Coke Company which are
representative of the field, show that the
earnings of the miners We're from $7.37 a
day to $24.74, with an average of $14.38 for
all Of the men. The mines of the company
were in operation each working day.
Representatives of the United Mine
Workers entered the field and attempted to
organize miners unions. From its start
the field has been on a non-union basis
When the bituminous miners went on strike
last winter these mines and the adjoining
non-union fields furnished almost the sole
supply of coal for the country The con-
tinued operation of these mines on basis
OF eight hours day and six days a week
defeated the demands Of the striking miners
at that time for a six hour working day
and a five day working week. The union
mines could not compete with the non-union
mines under this arrangement
The Williamson field was selected by the
United Mine Workers as the first outpost to
be taken in effecting the unionization of the
southern West Virginia coal regions, and
including the Pocahontas, Winding Gulf,
Raleigh and Logan fields, and also the mines
in eastern Kentucky.
shorter work day of six hours, with
naturalization of the coal mines, and SUI
premacy over the coal supply of the country,
could not be accomplished with these mines
continuing a non-union basis.
The Williamson field has a capacity of
SC. 000, 900 tons year. This is one-twelfth of
the maximum capacity OF the bituminous
mines of the country. In the winter months
the output is 25OO0,oOO tons. If ali of the
mines Of this region had been in operation
this sumner the country would have from
100000 900 to 10000, 900 tons of coal more
than it has now.
Why the Organizers Were Opposed.
The operators of the Williamson field OPP
posed the union organizers. They saw i'm
their coming the design Of the officials of
the United Mine Workers to remove the
competitive obstacle between the non-union
fields of West Virginia and the big unionized
fields north of the Ohio River. The. union
ization of the mines in southern West Vir-
ginia would have opened the way for the
establishment of the six hour working day
and the five day working week m all of the
coal fields of the country.
If a reduced working day were attempted
In the union fields, and the non-unicn fields
continued to produce coal on basis Of eight
hours day of work by the miners the area
would be greatly lessened, and the distribu-
ton from the non-union mines would be
correspondingly increased. Non union miners
would have more work and more pay than
the union miners.
The campaign 10 unionize the southern
West Virginia fields started with the con-
cluslon of the sessions OF the Bituminous
Wage Commission in Washington last
spring. Scores of walking delegates and
organizers poured into the Williamson field.
Headquarters of new miners union were
established In the City Hall in Williamson.
Several public officials, policemen and deputy
sheriffs were received as members. Another
union was organized under similar clrcum-
stances at Matewan, the rendezvous of the
bad men" of Mingo county.
Union Missionaries at $40 Day
Farmers who never dug a pound OF coal
In their lives, but were influential with the
miners, were employed M union mission
aries" at reported compensations OF $40
day and expenses. Some of them were
promised jobs. 1t is declared. officials of