The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1921-09-30
M|NERSCAN ACCEPT
No CUT AYsLEW|s
WORKERS ARE URGED TO WAIT
UNTIL FEBRUARY TO MAKE
THEIR DEMANDS
FAvORS NATURALIZATION
Postponement Of Demands Asks Until
Al Agreements Expire % Full In.
fIueuce and Power Of Member.
ship Can BE Utilized.

Chicago.-No wage reduction Of coal
miners must be permitted, and the
miners union must make available
all the organizations resources to
back up such policy in opposition to
wage cuts. John l.. Lewis, president OF
the United Mine Workers Of America,
declared Tuesday. in a 40,OOO-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 the ill.,
ternational union, recommended post
ponement until February Of the min
ers' adoption Of definite wage demands.
He declared that with all wage agree
ments expiring March 81, 1922, 1.-The
full influence and economic power of
our great membership may thus be
utilized
Besides explaining the wage Ques'
ton, Mr.. Lewis recommended that the
convention reaffirm it's declaration ia.
voring naturalization Of coal mines
and that legal proceedings he instituted
to make full test Of the constitution.
ality Of the Kansas industrial court law
which he declared to be in violation Of
the federal constitution and vicious
attack upon the rights Of organized
workers."
1.-THE first fight in Mingo county. W.
Va" he said, must be won without
compromise of principles involved" He
expressed hope the senate committee
investigation would ''lay bare the hor.
ror Of that field" and pave the way for
recognition of the fright Of the mine
workers who desire to become members
Of the United Mine Workers
After an exhaustive report on wage
negotiations of 1919 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 all
the wage agreements would expire for
the first time in the history of the min.
ers' organization on the same date. and
then, he concluded. that despite ad.
verse criticism. mo wage reductions
have been taken, and it is our high
purpose to continue this policy"
In discussing the wage question. Mr..
Lewis said coal operators in fennsyl.
vania, Washington, Iowa. Kansas, Col.
orado, West Virginia. Kentucky. Ten.
nessee. Alabama. Oklahoma. Texas, Ar.
kansas and Missouri had flied demands
for reductions, but that the unions
policy was uncompromisingly for car.
rying out the present agreement which
he said. was predicted on the award Of
the bituminous coal commission. func.
tioning under government authority.
"Our people were employed only two
days week on the average" contin.
ued Mr.. Lewis in explanation Of the
unions policy" and they found it ex.
tremely difficult to provide themselves
with food and other necessities. Fur.
thermOre, it is fact that the wages
now paid in the organized sections Of
the mining industry are but relatively
fair. Coal can be produced under the
present wage at labor cost that cor.
responds favorably with production
costs of other essential commodities q
Mr.. Lewis declared the miners in the
states where wage reductions had been
asked by operators We're supporting the
unions policy opposing any moditica
tons Of the present agreement and he
added:
This policy must be continued and
the resources of the union made avail
able for its application. The presen,
wage agreement to witch the govern
ment Is party must remain intact anC
we will expect that the influence of the
federal government will he exercised
TO preserve its integrity"