The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-19
JEWS ca II o { IGs
AND PRO Is MS
UNI Appeal
t II n i, Cd Z ti- page one.3'


confined from mage one.o
thorough Investigation Of the in. !.
!. dustry should be made by federal
authority. X
time did not feel warranted in
taxing action. beyond the issuance
Of the statement to which we have
referred. No conference was
held, the strike ensued. andt1ts has
now continued through ten weeks
Exclusive of the &anthraclte helds
where conferences are still IN pro.
gress. there are not far from d All
1 a million men idle in the industry.
The strike has been more ex-
tensive than was anticipated since
the miners in several non-un1on
.fe1ds made common cause with
the United Mine Workers. Fol-
lowing a period of intense bust
! ness depression. the strike has
caused much suffering to the min
ers' families, and this suffering is
rapidly increasing
Strike Orderly.
ct is matter of profound sat
sifaction that the strike has been
rem arkably orderly. We have
! also been gratified to note that
the press has made an unusually
successful effort to record the
| facts of this conflict. Neyerthe-
less. nothing effectua1 has been
done to bring it to an end.
In spite of the desire of. the
t government to avoid interference
+. in the controversy, it has become
necessary for the secretary OF
commerce to request the operators
! in the non-union fields, and the
retailers, not to take undue ao-
! vantage of the situation by ex-
cessively increasing the price OF
| coal. This action, manifestty
necessary under the circum-
! stances, nevertheless serves tc
+ show the helplessness of the ma
! ton a . the increasing danger OF
1 the pubic in the face of SO great
an Industrial struggle. The coal
Preserves are being steadily de-
1 pleted; the suffering of the min
ers and their families is becom
I ing more acute and the bitterness
4 attendant upon the conflict vii
inevitably increase.
Conference Suggested
1--WE therefore are impelled TO
urge once more that the govern
\ ment take steps to end the coal
strike by bringing the operators
! and miners into conference. Since
| the failure of early Attempts at
! securing a conference according tI
precedent in the Central fCompetl
! tive Field, and the consequent sus
! pension of mining in the union
fields, unprecedented Importance
| has been given to those fields IN
| which the miners have not. joined
| the strike and where operators
! and miners are enjoying a tenn
/ porary advantage because of the
strike in the union mines rms
| setting of one section of the in
dustry and of one portion OF the
country over against feather.
makes for instability, insecurity
discomfort and bitterness.
For this reason we urge that
un1ests the operators and miners
lin the Central Competitive Field
can even yet be induced TO meet
| the miners in joint conference IN
accord with precedent, natlona
tcoference be called by the COVER
ment sufficiently representative
i Of all the bituminouS coal fields &c
/ set standards and secure staplllty
ana prosperity for the entire IN
dustry. We believe that through
! frank and open discussion the way
will be found to restore health and
/ stability to the industry. Without
conference, undertaken in mutual
good faith, no lasting peace can pe
attained.
I'VE would respectfully call your
| attention again to the necessity o.
securing adequate 1nformat att! !
concerning, the essential facts o.
the coal industry In partlcuitalfs
the absence of authoritative lnfor-
nation concerning cost of produc
| ton and profits, has served to IN
! crease discomfort among the mine
workers
Investigation Demanded
KNOWING that the government
is under the necessity of pleadlns
for moderation in prices which II
has at present no means TO com
pel. and remembering that the OPP
i operators have secured an in1unc-
ton restraining the activities o.
the Federal Trade Commission, IL
securing data concerning costs anc
profits it is natural that the min
| ers and the public should feel tina:
| their interests are not being safe
1 guarded and that they are suffer
! ing unfair discrimination.
sIn the Anthracite fields where
conferences are still in progress
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