The New York herald., 1922-04-30

had easy jobs and drawn their salaries
regularly all the time mines were shut
down, have drained the treasury of the
money contributed by the members, and
these officers of the union, and hun
dreds like them. are fighting to keep
up the organization, which has never
done anything to benefit the miners as
a whole. but on the contrary has meant
a continuous expense in the way OF
practically 10 per cent, sometimes more,
sometimes less. being taken out Of earn
ings each pay day to go toward keeping
these organizers In soft Jobs.
'"The large operators in this open shop
field have absolutely given a guaranty
to their men that they will continue to
pay the present wages, which are 10 per
cent. higher than those offered In the
Pittsburgh district. throughout the year
1922, and these companies have always
kept their promises
ut is an absolute fact that the actual
earnings in this. the non-union field,
for the miners have always been higher
than in the union field. This means the
number of dollars earning capacity per
day and the number of days worked
each year are always at least one-third
more than the union districts.
Zone absolute certainty is the fact
that there is no other mining commu-
nifty In this country where men are so
well treated as they are in this, the
open shop, field. Here there are large
bath houses where men can change
clothes and bathe. All the large mining
towns in this vicinity are provided with
recreation grounds and an item of par
ticular Importance is the fact that wei
fare nurses Irregular registered trained
nurses) are employed by the company.
who go from house to house every day
giving the mothers instruction in the
proper way to prepare for the arrival
of new infants, care of the infants af.er
arrival, proper attention in case OF
sickness and instruction to both children
and mothers in the methods hest fittt q
to keep themselves healthy in every
way, both in mind and body.
This word, Strike means only misery
in every possible manner. 1t means
that the family must vacats the house
now occupied at rent rate for four
comfortable rooms less than one or
possibly two rooms could be rented for
elsewhere. 1t means that the families
will be compelled to possibly find only
the covering of filthy tent to cover
their heads and this means fifth, famine,
disease. poor drainage, poverty in the
extreme. For bringing the mine en-
ployees in this at present prosperous
open shop field into this condition what
has the union to offer? 1t has abso-
lutely nothing!
There are no available funds in the
treasury and. therefore. no so-called
strike benefits can be pail and this
being the case the poor unfortunate fam
lilies and their misguided heads who have
loaned themselves to this scheme of ma
licious organizers whose only object is
to continue labor strife and, in so con-
tinuing, cause miseries of all kinds, the
awful nature of which Is beyond all pos
sible power of description"
The operators point out that the
thickness of the coal veins of Westmore-
land. reaching seven feet in many spots.
not only gives the miner more room in
which to work than in other fields, but
enables him to produce more coal in a
given time, and thus make better wages.
According to figures offered by the Key
stone company, the miners daily average
this year up to April Is was $6.26, as
against an average of $8.26 before the
wage lowering of last year. The repre-
sentative of the Keystone company said
that 1t, the Irwin Gas Coal Com
pany and other large companies do pay
for dead work." such as the removal
Of slate. Its rule Is that IL a miner en-
counters conditions which reduce his
earning capacity he shall receive suf-
ficient compensation for dead work to
raise his earnings to the average figure.
The companys answer to the complaint
that miners cannot hire halls for meet
ings is any miner with a grievance can
carry 1t freely to the mine superintend-
ent, or can even appeal to the head
office.
That halls can be hired in some OF
the larger towns is proved by the fact
that the correspondent has attended
meetings in several OF them. They are
not owned by any company, though.
The chairman Of a meeting In Harrison
City last night used an ak handle as
gavel. Men who did not want to join
the union were invited to go outside.
mine superintendent and foreman de-
parted. The correspondent asked a Slo-
yak miner how he expected the union 70
benefit him-what would 1t get him?
Everything wat you want, Mees-
taire," he said.
The chairman. man Of go years,
good type of native born American. said
brothers, we have met here for to or
ganize and to stick until the grass grows
over the pit unless We win.
The majority acclaimed this sentiment
But dozen or so of the mine men hung
back when the actual signing up process
began They have gone on strike, bu'
to join the union-that is something else
to think about.