Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-06-09
LABOR CONFLICT
IN ". VA. FIELDS
STILL PUZZLING
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN.

tr&l7, NnCn nave been dra gging
along at Charles Town for weeks,
that the general public is more
| mystified than ever as to the facts
in this great labor conflict. TODAY
the average man knows little about
the situation other than that there
has been prolonged controversy
between West Virginia miners and
mine operators, that there have
been disorder. lawlcssness and loss
of life and property, that condi-
tiOns approXimating civil war have
existed, and that it has been neces-
sary 10 send in federal troops to
restore and to maintain order.
Growing out of all this have
/ come almost countless injunction
proceedings and lawsuits in the
courts, and the indictment OF sew
eral hundred miners on treason and
murder charges. Viewed from any
angle it is an ugly mess.
opinions as to which side is
right and which side is wrong are
/ based largely upon prejudces. In
| formation and evidence upon which
| to form a conclusion are subject to
( the same bias. 1t is possible. how
ever to present background for
I the current news from West Nir-
ginja. Thanks to the investigation
conducted by the senate commit
/ tee Of which former Senator Ken
yon was chairman. we can get at
| Just what each side contends for
and seeks to establish as the facts
| in the case.
The contentious OF the operators
as shown by the record of this in
Vestigation have been summarized
as follows: "The operators have a
constitutional right to operate their
mines on a non-union basis, to sub
stitute the individual contract for
collective bargaining in their rela-
tion5 with their employees. to pre-
vent all efforts to unionize their
employees, to bar union members
from the mining camps and prop
critics and even from ,Ar coun-
ties in which those properties
are situated, and to refuse 10
deal directly or indirectly with
the union. Their employees are
contented and do not desire to join
the union, and therefore. there is
no controversy between them and
their employees.
"All the trouble in the non-union
fields has been due to th9 efforts
Of the union to organize the work.
ers therein.
"Unionization means frequent
strikes for imaginary causes, with
resultant increased costs of pro-
duction, loss of efficiency and
higher prices for coal.
THE union has resorted to vio-
lence and to the destruction of
property in an effort to intimidate
the operators and force their cn-
ployes to join the unon.
Claim Union Is Unlawful.
Tho United Mine Workers OF
America is an unlawful organiZa-
tion because it aims, as shown by
its constitution, to appropriate the
properties of the operators.
There is a conspiracy between
the union and the mine owners and
operators of the central competitive
field to unioni2e the non-unlon
fields of West Virginia in order TO
handicap or to destroy the non
union operators as competitors in
the markets which they now reach,
and where by reason of their lower
production costs and greater ettl-
cheney they now have an advant-
age over the unionized central COM
petitive field"
Turning from these contentious
of the operators we have the claims
of the miners as epitOmized by Vice
President Murray, OF the union, as
follows: THE miners have the
constitutional rights Of free speech
and free asscmblage i'll which they
should be protected. They have
also the right of collective bargain
ing, the right to join the union and
| the right to engage in legitimate
trade union activities. Their rights.
If not specifically guaranteed by
the organized law Of the nation, are
contemplated by the fundamental
guarantees Of the constitution, and
| have the highest sanction of all
| law, organize or statutory, nancy,
the approval of enlightened pubic
| opinion and common practice in all
| industries in all civilized countries,
| THE problem in West Virginia is
mot q question of unionlsm versus
/
non-unionism, but is question OF
| the establishment, acceptance ana
observance of fundamental prime
pies and practices winch are essen
tial to peace ana orderly progress
| in all industry.
THE trouble ls due solely TO tile
denial ny the operators OF tuc Ilsn'
of thelf emploHcS 10 JOIN tile ulllTn' ~
and 10 the h'elhouS 1u9pteu W I'i0
operators 70 eHloIte tnaI ucI'I'i a.,
metnods tiat were coelclae anu -,
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