The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1922-10-05

I kota, and these meals are furnish
ed at reasonable price.
The state has done everything il
its power to make the lives oi
these men just as pleasant and at
tractive as possible. Do you fee
that it is fair that common labor
crs in the mine, who receive from
S. 90 or S6 90 per day, should OBJ
tain an increase of Is per cent, in
view of the fact that such increase
of wages must be added to the cost
of coal and the portion Of coal go
ing to state institutions comes out
of the taxpayers pockets? AS a
matter of fact we we'll know that
common labor in the state of
South Dakota does not receive
$50 per day, and that the far
mers for their work receive no
where near those wages. Further
more. our men at the mine, owing
to the fact that from now we will
have continuous demand for coal
even during the summer months.
will have work practically the year
round. and their wages today are
higher by far than the wages of the
laboring men or farmers of the
state of South Dakota.
We employ non-union men and
union men alike. They do not wolk
under guard. We observe all the
rules and conditions under which
union labor works. The foreman
of the mine is union man and
has been union man for many
years, but he refuses to quit the
state institution because he is sat
isfied and feels that he could not
better his condition. The mine is
getting out more than 100 tons
of coal day and will soon be
at full capacity. The mine
has been non-unionized, which |
feel is justified in view of the fact
that the milfe is owned by every
man and woman of the state.
Every citizen Of the state is a
stoeGsolder and it is the inherent
riehf Of every citizen to work in
a state industry regardless Of ma
tionality, race or their member
hin or non-membership in unions.
Our workmen always have been
happy and contented and satisfied
with their conditions and the state
Of South Dakota surely can be
trusted to pay laboring men de-
cent wages on which they can edu-
cate their children and save a COM
for old age, and the min
ers who have been and are working
in the state mine, are as well clio
thed, as well fed, as well housed,
and enjoy as many Of the good
things of life as the average citi-
zen Of the state. Nearly so per
cent of them have automobiles, m
Hupmobiles. Dodges and
Fords. ! feel that you did a great
injustice to young farmers Of this
state in calling them "scabs "
These are men who lost their crops
and seeking honest work at fair
wages, took employment in the
South Dakota mine. | believe that |
any citizen Of this state can work |
n any state industry which is
owned by all the people and be a
self-respecting citizen, regardles, T
Of whether he is a union or nom
lnion man, and that we should be /
slow to apply the word "scab" 10
The splendid citizenship of South /
Dakota. I
You are not any more in entire /
and hearty accord with |
the best interests Of labor than i
You are no more anxious and sim /,
cerely desireus of seeing labor we'll
paid and well fed and we'll housed
and clothed, and their children ed
lcated and that they shall main !
tain their self-respect and dignity /
1han /. And if all corporations pri-
vately owned would care for their
aboring men both from the stand
point of personal comforts and of
wages in the same degree that the i
state of South Dakota is caring
for her men at the mine, there
would be dawn of new era for /
the laboring men of this country. /
Signed: w. H. McMaster.