The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-20
NO MINERS
WAGE CUTS,
SAYS LEWIS
None Taken, None Will
Be-Report Flags Far
rington, Howat.

Indianapolis. Ind, Sept. 2o.-No
wage reductions of coal miners
must be permitted and all resoIr-
oes of the miners union must be
made available to back up its policy
in opposition TO wage cuts. John l..
Lew 8, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, declared here
today in his report made at the
opening of the biennial convention
OF the international union.
mo wage reductions have been
taken and 1t is our high purpose to
continue this policy" declared Mr..
Lewis He also recommended a
postponement until next February
of the miners adoption of definite
wage demands and declared that
with all wage agreements expiring
on March 81. 1922, the full inf1u-
ence and economic power of our
great membership may thus be
utilized to the advantage of our
people. for the achievement of our
ideals.
Rebukes Robert Harlin.
Much of Mr.. Lewis 40,000-word
report related to the wage question,
, apparently indicating that this
would be among the most import
ant business of the convention,
which brought together between
1900 and 1000 representatives Of
local unions scattered throughout
the United States, Western Canada
and Nova Scotia. Aside from the
wage question. Mr. Lewis asked the
convention to administer rebuke
to Robert H. Harlin of Seattle,
Wash, and Frank Harrington, pres
ident OF the Illinois miners, who
Mr.. Lewis charged had circulated
false statements about the union
He also asked the convention to en-
dorse the international board,
which he said, Alexander Howat
president of the Kansas miners or
ganization. had defied in not COM
plying with the boards order for
strikers to return to work.
Fayors Naturalization.
Other essential points of Mr.
Lewis report included the follow
ing:
A recommendation that the con-
vention rea1irm its declaration OF
two years ago favoring nationalist
ton of coal mines.
A declaration that the fight il
Mingo county, W. Va, must bt
won" and that there can be NJ
! compromise of the principles in
volved"
A recommendation that legal pro-
ceedings be instituted to make {
full test of the constitutionality o.
the Kansas Industrial court law.
In discussing the wage question
Mr. Lewis said coal operators il
Pennsylvania, Washington Iowa
Kansas, Colorado, West Virginia
Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama
Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas ant
Missouri had fled demands for re
ductions, but that the unions pol
icy was uncompromisingly for car
rying out the present agreement
which he said was predicted on th'
award Of the bituminous coal com
mission, functioning under govern
mental authority.
Work Two Days in Week.
Our people were employed onl,
two days a week on the average,
continued Mr.. Lewis in explanation
Of the unions policy, land the.
found it extremely difficult to pro
4 vide themselves with food and 9th
1 er necessities. Furthermore, it l
fact that the wages now paid Il
The organized sections of the min
ng industry are but relatively fall
Goal can be produced under tn
present wage scale at a labor cos
mat corresponds favorably wit
production costs of other eSsentla
commodities"
Mr.. Lewis declared that the min
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