The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-09-30
M|NERSCANA ACCEPT
NO GUT, SAYSLEW|S
WORKERS ARE URGED TO WAIT
UNTIL FEBRUARY TO MAKE
THEIR DEMANDS
FAv0Rs NATURALIZATION
pessponement Of Demands Asks Until
All Agreements Expire % Full In
s,uence and Power OF Member.
chip can BE Utilized.


Chlcago.--No wage reduction Of coal
miners must be permitted. and the
miners union must make available
all the organixa atoms resources tn
back up such policy In opposition TO
wage cuts, John l.. Lewis. president OF
the United Mine Workers OF America,
declared Tuesday. In 40.00O-word re- |
port made to the 1000 representatives
sent from local unions throughout the |
United States. western Canada and
Novia Scotia.
Mr.. Lewis, speaking on the occasion
Of the biennial convention Of this In
fernational union. recommended post
ponemenf until February OF the min
ers' adoption Of definite wage demands.
He declared that with all wage agree
mentx expiring March 81. 1922. "the
full Influence and economic power of
our great membership may thus be
utilized
Besides explaining the wage CUES
tion. Mr.. Lewis recommended that tha
convention reafflrm lts declaration. ia.
voring naturalization OF coal mines
and that legal proceedings be instituted
to make full test Of the constitutions
aIify OF the Kansas Industrial court law
which he declared To he In violation Of
the federal constitution and vicious
attack upon the rights OF organized
workers.s
"The first fight In Mlngo county. w.
Va he said. must be won without
compromise Of principles involved" lie
expressed hope the senate committee
investigation would LAY bare the hor'
ror Of that Held" and pave the way for
recognition Of the "right Of the mine
workers who desire 10 become members
of the United Mine Workers"
After an exhaustive report on wnge
negotiations OF 1910 the strike that fol
lowed and the injunctions against II
and the later Indictment OF miners and
operators under the antitrust law. Mr.
Lewis point out that next spring MI
the wage agreements would expire foI
the firxt time In the history Of the min
ers' organization on the same date. ant
then. no concluded. that despite nd
verse eriticinm. mo wage reduction,
have been taken. and II n our higi
purpose to continue this policy
In discussing the wage question, Mr.
Lewis said coal operators In rennsyi
vania. Washington. Iowa. Kansas, Col
GRADE, West Virginia. Kentucky. Ten
nessee. Alabama. Oklahoma. Texas. Al
kansas aud Missouri had tiled demand
for reductions but that the union
policy was uneompromislngiy for cal
rying out the present agreement whic
he said. was predicted on the award Q
the bituminous coal commission. fun,
tioning under government authority.
"0nr people were employed only Nv
days a week on the average" conti'
ued MIR, Lewis In explanation OF n
unions policy" and they found II Q,
trcmeiy difncult to provide thcmsciy'
with food and other necessities. Flu
thermore. II IL a fact that the wag,
now paid In the organized sections ,
the mining Industry are but relative
fair. Coal can be produced under II
present wage al labor cost that 90
responds fayorably with prodncti,
costs of ether essential commodities
Mr.. Lewis declared the miners In Il
states where wage reductions had be-
asked by operators We're supporting q
unions policy opposing any moditie
items of the present agreement aaa
added:
This policy must be continued nj
the resources Of the union made ava
able for It's application. The rrcse
wage agreement TO which The COVE,
ment IL party must remain iutaet n
we will expect that the influence of /
federal government will be exercls
10 preserve Its iotegrity,"