The Connecticut labor press., 1920-03-06
COAL MINE PROBE SHOWS INJUSTICE DONE TO WORKERS Forced to Lie Idle One-Third of
 Year Without
 Pay. REMEDY NOW AT HAND Operators See Loss to Themselves and Will Make
 Change.
REMEDY NOW AT HAND

Indianapolis, Ind, March 5.-One of the very interesting developments i'll the coal industry in the last few weeks IS the vigorous manner in which coal operators and others have undertaken the task of stimulating more steady operation of the mines so that coal may be produced throughout the year, 1n- stead of confning the great bulk of pro duction to a few months, the United Mine Workers say in statement. All over the country associations of coal, operators and retail dealers are taking Up this subject and attempting to work out a solution.
 And one of the very interesting fea- lures off this movement, the statement says, is the fact that 1t was all brought about by the demand of the coal miners for shorter work-day and more equitable distribution ot employment throughout the year. By taking this stand and insisting that they shall have employment during greater per1od o1 the year i'll order to make hving for their families, the miners have done splendid service not only for them selves, but for the coal trade generally as well as for the public. At the hear ing before the bituminous coal commits sion at Washington, which was held for the purpose of finding basis for the settlement of the issues involved Tn the recent strike of biturninous miners, the miners say they demonstrated clearly to the commission with facts and statlS- tics that it was utterly impossible for man to earn a decent living for himself and his family by working only the number of days each year that the mines have operated heretofore. They showed that the average number of days the Go1I were employed in the six years from 1913 to 1918, inclusive, was 205Iz a year. This means that the miners were idle one-third of their time, through no fault of their own. They say no laboring man can make living for his family by working only two-thirds of his time.
 This fact was revelation to the pub lie. The people did not know that the coal miners were Compelled to put up with such condition For years, the miners say it was the practice of the coal operators to make the public believe that the miners were responsible for all of the. ills of the coal business, but when these facts were brought out before the commission by the miners and the pub lie learned the real truth there was a change in sentiment that compelled the operators to sit up and take notice.
 The result IS that operators, mining engineers and others connected with the coal business are attacking the problem. all over the country. They have sud- denly discovered that such a great loss of timeNin operation of the mines means loss to the operators as we'll as to the miners, and they are working for a rem edy that may be applied. How to do it is their problem.
 Another thing the people did not know until 1t was brought out by the miners before the commission IS that the miners do not refuse to work when they have work to do. The people have learned, the miners say, that the miner wants to work. He wants to work greater part of the year at a living wage than he has in the past. He believes this may be brought about through the adoption of the shorter work day, sub- stantial increase in wages and education sof the public to buy coal throughout the year instead of waiting until late i'll the season and then having everyone try to buy coal at one time. Such change i'll policy on the part of the public, the miners say, would distribute the demand over the year, thus affording more steady employment for the miner. It is pointed out by the miners that this policy on the part of the public of spreading out their coal purchases over the year should result in lower prices for coal, because a great rush of orders late in the season always has meant an increase i'll prices to the buyer.