Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-12

( done or should be done when the
present agreements expire. The
miners through their union had
wage contracts or agreements
which expired March 81 last. The
bituminous operators declined to
meet with the representatives of
the miners in national conference
to negotiate a new agreement. The
miners claimed that this was in
and of itself a violation of the con-
tract between the operators and
them. The latter claimed that in
asmuch as such an agreement
might be held to be a conspiracy
in violation of the antitrust law
they could not be expected to en-
ter into a conference.
In the anthracite field the op-
orators met with the miners to
work out a new contract covering
wages and working conditions, but
no agreement was reached up to
and including March 81. Thereup-
on the miners in both fields de-
clined to go to work on April l,
and the strike was on.
The bituminous miners had not
I presented any demands as to the
new wage contract, so it a not
be said that they struck against a
wage reduction. 1t was we'll known,
however, that the operators we're
determined that there should be
a wage reduction, and that the
miners were insistent upon a con-
tinuance of the old wage scale.
The union was also determined
that the check-off system should
be perpetuated, while the operat-
ors were equally set upon its abo-
Iition. The check-off, be it re-
membered, is the arrangement
whereby the union dues and fees
are withheld from the miners pay
by the operators and turned over
to the treasurer of the union.
In the anthracite branch of the
coal industry the miners demanded
a wage increase and asked for the
establishment of the check-off sys-
tenn, which has never prevailed in
those fields. The operators, on
the other hand, commended that
there should be a wage reduction.
There were other. issues, but none
of sufficient importance to have
caused a strike or lockout.
Now as to what transpired dur
ing the strike it may be said that
in the bituminous mines production
ceased wherever the miners be-
longed to the union and in some
independent fields the workers
went out as evidence of their COM
plete sympathy with the strikers.
The union miners held their forces
intact throughout the period of
the strike, and the only soft coal
that was produced am from the
n~on-union mines. This amounted
to from 100000 to 100000 tons
weekly as against a normal pro-
duction or demand of 100000 to
100000 tons per week.
In the anthracite fields produc-
ton came to an absolute stop. Not
all the miners there belong to the
union, but the operators are close
ly organized, they have always
conducted their business on the
basis of the agreement with the
union and none of them would I'M
dertake to mine coal with indie
pendent miners or strike breakers.
There was no attempt to break the
strike and there was no independ-
ent or non-union production to
meet or partially to meet the de-
mand from consumers.
For the most part there was not
serious lawlessness during the
strike. The one black blot was the
Hcrrin massacre, which is now be-
fore the grand jury. There were
sorne unseenly demonstrations in
Pennsylvania, but nothing happen
ed that was serious unless it be
held with the strikers that their
rights of free speech and free as
semblage were invaded and that
that is a serious matter. 1t is not
to be forgotten that almost every
coal mine would be ruined within a
comparatively short period of time
unless the pumps were kept working
and certain other things done reg
ularly, and that the striking min
ers did leave enough men on the