, 1921-09-20


He also recommended a postpone
ment until next February OF the min
err adoption OF definite wage de-
manda and declared hat with all wage
agreements expiring on March 81
1929. "the full influence and economic
power OF our great membership may
thus be utilized TO the advantage OF
our people. for the achievement OF our
idealB."
Much OF Mr.. Lewis 20, 900 word re-
port related to the wage question APP
~parentiy indicating that this would be
among the most important business OF
the convention. which brought togeth-
er between 1890 and LOCO representa-
tives OF local unions scattered through
out the United States, western Can
ada and Nova Scotia. Aside from the
wage question. Mr.. Lewis asked the
convention 20 administer a rebuke &c
Robert II. Hariin OF Seattle. Wash.
and Frank harrington. president OF
tho Illinois miners. who Lewis charg-
NJ had circulated false statements
about the union. He also asked the
convention to indorse the i~nternationa
board. which he said Alexander How
at, president of the Kansas miners
organization. had defied In not CON-
plying with the boards order for strik-
ers to return TO work.
Other essential points OF Mr.. Lewis
report Included the following:
a recommendation that the onven
lion reaffirm its declaration of two
years ago. favoring naturalization OF
coal mines.
A declaration thai "tie fight In
Mingo county. W. Va, must be won.
and that there a be no compromise
Of the principles involved"
a Recommendation that legal pro-
ceodings be instituted to make n full
test OF the conssitutionality of ths
Kansas Industrial court lsw.
In discussing the wage questions
Mr.. Lewis said coal operators in Penn
sylvania. Washington. Iowa, Kansas
Colorado. West Virginia. Kentucky
Tennessee. Alabama. Oklahoma, Tex
as. Arkansas and Missouri had file,
demands for reductions, but that tn,
unions policy was uncofnpromisingl.
for carrying out the present agree
ment. which he said was predicted ol
tho award OF the bituminous coal com
mission. functioning under govern
mcnt authority. 4.
our people were employed onl,
two days a week on the average
continued Mr.. Lewis in explanation o
the unions policy. "and they found &
extremely difficult to provide them
selves with food inc other necessities
Furthermore. 1t Is n fact that tn,
wages now paid in the organized sec,
lions of the mining industry are but
relatively fair. Coal can be produced
| under the present wage scale at a
labor cost that corresponds favorab.y
with production costs of other essen.
tial commodities"
Mr.. Lewis declared tina the min.
ers in the states where wage reduc
ion had beer asked by operators were
supporting the unions policy oppos-
Ing any modification 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 present
wage agreement. to- which the gov.
eminent LIS a party. must remain in
tact. and We will expect that the In.
f1uence of the federal government will
be exercised to preserve Its integrity
In recommending hat the wag,
question be referred to a scale com
mittec. Mr.. Lewis proposed that tn,
convention nex Februar,
to receive the committees report anS
adopt definite demands. He said 4
would be unwise to adopt the demand.
now. for such action would give tn,
operators six months to prepare {
fight. His recommendation apple,
specifically to the wage demands TO
bltuminous coal miners, but was re
garded as applicable to the anthra