The labor world., 1922-03-25
WHYA COAL sTR1KE7

las
w. wHYA COAL sTR1KE7
President John L. Lewis Of the
United Mine Workers of America this
week announced that the biggest coal
strike in the history Of the industry
would take place on April next.
II is evident that the coal operators
are determined to destroy collective
bargaining if they can. That is their
real purpose in forcing the strike at
this time The reduction in wages
they seek to force upon the miners is
secondary to breaking up the union.
The West Virginia coal fields are
non-union. Wages there are lower than
in all other fields. The operators ex-
psct the mine workers Of the coun-
try to lower their standards to that
Of the miners. Of West Virginia. They
would measure the standard Of living
for American coal miners with q noa-
union yard stick. They would have
the union miners follow the nOn.uniOn
workers down the ladder of wage re-:
ductions to the morass Of poverty and
degradation; which prevail below.
I'm announcing their refusal to
meet with the miners and work out
q new agreement to take effect April
l. next the coal operators are de-
1iberately violating their written COLI
tlact with the union, which they
signed in New York on March 81,
1920: just two years ago. In that
eoatract is the following clause:
'.'Resolved, That an Interstate joint
e4nference be held prior to April Il
1921; the time and place for holding
such meeting to be referred to com.
lmittee Of two operators and two NOM
bers from each state herein repre-
scented, together with the internation-
al officials Of the United Mine Work
ers of America
That agreement ought to be- as
binding as an honor bond can be. Re!
fusal by the operators to live up to
its provision is a shock to the public
conscience and IN assault ON business
morality. Indeed it is 50 indefensiblc
that President Harding denounced the
action of the operators and directed
Secretary of Labor Davis to call upon
the operators to live up to their agree
ment and meet with the miners in an
honest effort to work out new
agreement.
The operators are in excellent con-
.(dition for strike. Repudiating their
agreement and expecting to break up,
the union, with millions of tons of
soft coal on hand, they will use the
q ltrike as an excuse to boost the price
tSf coal, thus compelling the public to
bear the cost of the strike while they
at the same time will gouge the pub
pic pocketbook and clean up enor-
|mous profits. 1t has been done before
Eand it will be attempted again.
" The miners have not asked for an
increase in wages as the coal oper-:
iators charge. They have only asked
Chat the present wage scale be con-
tSnued for two years more. They did
hot earn a. living under the present
Sscale in 1921, but they are willing
Ito take chance with it for another
two years. They pin their faith to the
hope for revival of industry and
business in the next two years that
will afford them steadier employ
rent and thus enable them to make
. living.
{ Bituminous mine workers in the
union fields were employed only an
average Of about l25 days in 1921,
which is 40 per cent Of full time. As
hearly as can now be ascertained such
isoft coal miners earned an average OF
approximately 500 in 1921, which
is about $3.50 a week. It costs the
ordinary family about. $3.50 a year
to decently live. Mine workers earned
less than half that sum last year Yet
tho operators propose to reduce their
wages.
The average selling price of soft
coal in October 1921 was $1O.41 a ton.
trhe miners received $1.97 a ton for
producing it. Who got the other $s.44s
There is the gouge. If the public
do not get the money. If the public
would bring down the price of coal
tn icy must look beyond the miners for.
tb| . way to do it. The miners are not
to, blame for the high prices.
The coal operators are, spending
vasts sums of money with. a corps of
Paid. writer's in an attempt to poison
S1ublic thought against the miners, but
such will avail them not when the
people learn the truth about coal.
Governments still exist by consent
of the governed, little bit Of truth
tint the workers should take to
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