The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-07-20
EIINERS CONTEND
FOR LIVING WAGE
Says Workers Have Established
Principle For Al Tima
HITS OPERATORS VIEWS
Demand For Six Dollar Day is Con
serVatiVe, Anthracite Wage Com
mission is Told.


serVatiVe, Anthracite Wage Com
mission is Told.
Scranton, July 2O.-In arguing for
the mine workers before the aTithra-
cite commission here Philip Murray
vice president of the union, declared
the outstanding development of the
hearing, which are drawing to a dose
is the establishment for all time
in this industry of the principle
of the living wage"
'The operators have declarea re-
peatedly their acceptance of this pfin-
ciple and their purpose to adhefe to
it and have stated that the sole point
of difference with us is one of facE, as
to what constitutes IA living wagesand
how it should be determined. +" Mr..
Murray continued. ut was not until
the cross-eNamination that we scared
from the operators the amazing STATE
ment that Il mine worker can livekand
support Il family OH American stand
ard on a wage of $334 per day.
That is their translation of the
principle of the living wage into ron
crete figures; that is their measure of
the worth of Il man under present day
considerations
"Mr. Haher's S334 per day, plus
Mr.. MARINERS COWS and chickens,
fresh air and beautiful scenery. fArh-
iShed us by the operators Without
price to lis and without cost to fflem
selves, comprise the sum total of, 8heil
contribution to the Information of5the
commission as to how to determine
and what to fix a living wage for 3D.
900 workers.
"Our demands have been met By the
operators with The contention That
they are now paying a living wage
anI with the further declaration that
if there should be any wage INCREASE
it would mean an increase in the price
of anthracite 10 the consumer.
when we sought TO demonstrate by
an inquiry int the monopolistic dcmi-
nation of rhe industry and its afl5lor-
mally large earnings direct and iadi-
rect, that out just wage demands could
be met and the increase absofbea by
the operators out Of their profits 4ith-
out an increase in the price of oal
TO the consumer, we enc0unterpsi a
technical objection from the 0lei'at-
ors who raised the qaesr on as tu The
jurisdiction of the commission fo 90
into matters of costs. prices. plx fits
and monopoly.
We submit that We haze estaf1Xsli-
ed beyond contradiction the following
points:
First. Anthracite workers are not
now receiving a living wage.
Second. A living wage in this in
dustry would be largely in. excess of
the maximum earnings which the OPP
orators show in their own table.
Third. Our demand for a mini
mum wage of Sc per day, with differ
entails, is reasonable and conserva-
tive.
Therefore, we contend that we have
earned the Judgment Of this commits
sion for our full wage demands ON our
submission in this phase of the case. .
On the question of union recogni-
ton, Mr.. Murray said:
There can be no real Industrial
peace or acceleration of production
in the anthracite industry until the
United Mine Workers of America are
given a full and complete recognition
of their union. This is no threat. II
is merely the statement of a fact.
"It cannot have, nor does it claim
it can have, the influence over the
great body of mine workers which it
should have until the operators accord
it complete recognition"