Weekly journal-miner., 1922-04-05
FIRST GREAT
 COAL STRIKE
 3O YEARS AGO
History of Nations Disputes in Coal Industry Is Comparative ly Brief, But Local Turmoil Had Eary Beginning.
drrom wedn--vay's Daily)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, March 28. Great coal strikes, such as the country is now facing, have been few, although for $ years the coal industry had been marked by almost numberless statewide and localized strikes, often involving several thou sands of workers. All of the big strikes have continued more than a month, the longest having been that of 1902 in the anthracite industry which continued g weeks.
 The big strikes-five in number are summarized as follows;
 l894-First general strike in the soft coal industry, called by the United Mine Workers of America, the purpose being 10 restore wage scales that had been decreased dur ing the panic of '93; 100000 to 160,- 900 men engaged and militia called out in four states; first attempt at a compromise failed, but second con- ference of miners and operators end eK with adoption of a scale agree inert.
 iB97-July 4th, walkout of l50,000 miners, called by D. M Ratchford, president of the U. M. w. of A. to deplete an overstocked coal market, which union officials feared would result in wage reductions on account of the slow coal trade; strike was called off after F weeks duration, at the end of which the market had been depicted; first great successful strike of the U. M. w. of A.
 -9O0-Anthracite strike in Septem- ber and October, engaged 132,OOO and ended with miners getting 10 to l6 per cent increases in wages.
 1902 Great anthracite strike, led by the late John Mitchell, as presi- dent of the L. M. w or A., lasted g weeks, May to October; 10000 men engaged, and finally called off when President Roosevelt appointed a commission that afterward gave the miners a 10 per cent wage ad- vance, and made their contract for three years, ending April l, 1906.
 19l9-Nation-wide soft coal strike Ill November and December of 395,- GOO miners called off by union in  compliance with a court injunction, obtained by Attorney General Palmer under the wartime Lever fuel con- trol law; commission later appointed by President Wilson gave miners an increase Of approximately ? per cent in wages-their largest single in- crease.
 Unlike the. last great strike, the impending one begins with warm weather approaching while the 1919 shutdown came with winter. Stocks now are more ample than then, but the present situation is much like the Fourth of July wal5out of 1897. Out of the strikes, both large and small, the workers as a general proposition have won many benefits i'll increased wages and improved working condi- tions. But victory has not always been theirs, though the big strike settlements have favored them. The operator successes, however, include Jo,,;,i Of wages, changed working conditions, and the crushing of two unions-the first national organization of miners founded in 1860, which periShcd ill a series of strikes at the close of the civil war, and the Workmeus Be- nevolent association, an organization of anthracite workers, which was de- moralized ill 1875 after IS years ex- istence.
 The first coal strike ill the United States occurred in 1849 ill the Penn sylvania anthracite field when a British miner, named Bates, organ ized a local union and sought to in- crease wages and better working conditions. His strike failed and Bates was forced to leave the field and for Il years the workers made no further attempt at organization.
 Since Bates day, many leaders have been developed among the workers and strikes of various sorts for varied purposes have been carried on, the early fight being largely centered to small areas, occasionally including an entire state coal field.