The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1921-12-16
STARVATION THE WEAPON
THAT COAL OPERATORS ARE USING TO TORTURE MINERS
INTO SUBMISSION TO WAGE REDUCTION AND
DESTRUCTION OF UNION
Little Children of West Virginia Workers Because OF
Weakness Due to Lack of Food

indianapolis, Ind" Starvation is
the instrument that is being used by
coal operators in the New River field
of West Virginia to torture the union
miners into submission to a whole
sale reduction in their wages and de-
struction of the union," Lawrence
Dwyer, of Beckley, W. Va, told the
international executive board of the
United Mine Workers of America,
meeting in Indianapolis; Dwyer is the
member of the board from that field.
The board was hearing reports of con-
ditions in the various coal mining dis
tricts of the countrys when Dwyer
made his statement. From practical
ly every section of the country there
came heart-rending tales of the de-
plorable condition of coal miners and
their families, due to the long -contin-
ued wave of unemployment and the
determined effort of coal operators to
reduce wages and wipe out the United
Mine Workers of America But the
story told by Dwyer was, perhaps, the
most narrowing of all
people who live in other parts of
the country do not know the actual
conditions under which coal miners
and their families live in some parts
of West Virginia." Dwyer said. eve
have the finest soft coal in the world
1t sells for a higher price than any
other coal, and, usually, it has a
steady market. But for year past
there has been little or no work in
the mines of the New River field.
Some mines have not operated sim
gle day in 1921. Others have been
idle for four, six or eight months.
We have a loyal lot of union miners
in that district, men who have fought
hard for years to sustain the union
against the interests that would kill
it. The union has helped them to inn
prove their working and living con-
ditions and to obtain better wages
But it is apparent that the operators
have decided that they are going to
destroy the union in that district and
reduce the miners wages to the old
time low level, which will not afford
living for the miner and his fam
ily
"These operators are taking ad
vantage of the terrible depression t.
carry out this plan. Our men have
been out of work so long that they
have used every cent that they hao
earned and they are in debt as deeply
as they can go. Hundreds, may
say thousands, of families Of Goa
miners are without cent and with
out food. How they exist God onl!
knows. Company stores have refused
to supply them with more food
There is no other place for them t,
| find employment. This situation
gives the operator his opportunity
Coal companies, some of the largest
lrichest and most powerful in tn,
country, are telling their employs
that if they will accept reduction
of 80 to so per cent in their wage
and withdraw from the union the,
will give them some work, but the.
do not promise steady work. Wit
their families actually starving, man.
a man is tempted to accept the offer
] "Only few days ago, two smal
children in school in Fayette count
tainted, and physicians said it wa
Idue to their weakness because Of lac
lof food. They were children of 4 COS