Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-23
COAL STRIKE: DANCER
MENAC|NC COUNTRY
by HARDEN COEFAx
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1929


WASHINGTON, Aug. 20.-A labor
strike greater than any the United
States has ever experienced before
is taking form in the troubled situa-
ton confronting the coal industry
today.
| Mnies are running from two to
three days week; production is be-
low the 1913 level; actual earnings
of mine workers generally are close
to the bare subsistence point, though
rates of pay are higher than ever
be fairly well stocked with the fuel
| it needs. The market is stagnant
and has been for months. Indica-
tions are that it will remain so for
months, to come, although there may
be a pickup Of some size in the late
fall. Prices are low at the mines.
high in the retail yards.
Such are conditions facing the coal
| industry. In their present situation
| both the operator and the miner have
Debated their wartime profits. Meth
er is making any money. Neither can
he sells-unless business generally
picks up in vigorous fashion. And
neither the operator nor the miner is
going to take a loss even if a ma
| lion-wide coal strike has 20 come
when the present wage scale expires
next March.
One month from today the United
Mine Workers of America meet at
| Indianapolis in biennial convention.
The selection of officers and the
declaration of policies are the chief
business at hand. Pressure brought
wage reduction will come UP for
| thorough and probably stormy dis
cussion. The workers probably will
reject to man any proposal to cut
present rates.
Their leaders have forecast such
| rejection. No national officer would
| dare risk his political life by going
| to the rank and file with a wage cut
proposal. John L. Lewis, president
of the organization, comes up for
reelection and he certainly isn't go
| ing to run on any such pla form.
| Shall Fight Reduction
| "Our organization" says Mr.. Lew
When the contract expires next
March we will be expected to agree
| to a reduction. We shall not, how
ever. We shall fight any attacks"
Far from agreeing to a reduction,
the mine workers in one Of the three
anthracite fields are out with a de-
mand for more pay-40 to 60 per
cent more. Such demand, Of
course, probably is made for bar
gaining purposes. Following this
vention may demand a wage raise.
The miners justify such demand
| on the ground that for months past
they have been given so little work
| that they are earning barely enough
to live on-in some cases not enough.
Thousands are entirely out Of work.
A wage rate, however high, they ar
que, means nothing If they are en-
ployed for only two days a week,
whereas cut in rates without more
working time would not give them
enough to keep-soul and body to-
gether.
| Moreover, there will come up at
the indianapolis. meeting the policy
adopted two years ago calling for the
naturalization of mines. That is
Lewis own plank in the platform and
it is going to stay there, even if the
insisting on its enforcement. 1t
may come in handy later when q
strike-weary public finds its coal
| supply cut off.
The present wage agreement grew
out of the miners strike in 1919 and
does not expire till March 81, 1922.
All attempts by operators in various
sections to obtain a cut have
been in vain. The miners are
holding the operators to the letter of
! the contract. In one district, central
| Pennsylvania, the largest producing
| district in the country, whose annual
output could easily touch 60,o00,000
tons if demands were good, the min
! ers' union has positively refused to
meet the operators even to discuss
a wage cut.
won't Discuss Matter
| Operators in other fields have had
similar experience. Northern West
Virginia producers sought the other
day to get conference with the
union, looking to q wage cut. Presi-
dent Keeney, Of the union, told the
policy was the Keeney policy, too
| In the state of Washington, the min
ers are out on strike because of an
attempted wage cut and the opera
tors are preparing to run their
southwestern fields, comprising Mis-
souri,, Kansas, Arkansas and Okla
| bona, recently sought in vain to low
er wages. A joint conference was
held-and adjourned. There again
the miners are holding the opera tors
Illinois, third on the list of coal
mining states, expects a strike. 1t
| is unionized to the very marrow. The
operators there are getting ready.
They are collecting, even at this ear
ly date, all possible information con-
corning wages and earnings Of their
men, living costs, labor turnover
and other kindred subjects utilized
| in making a settlement.
For the first time tina anthracite
and the bituminous wage agreements
expire on the same date. At that
time united aggressive union or
ganization, hard coal and soft, reck-
oned as the strongest in the coun-
try, will face the operators with
solid front.
One side or the other must back
down. Probably neither will till the
country again has gone through the
strike pains. Fortunately, they won't
come on the eve of winter, as in