The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-10

the poverty level on $3.50 a
week.
Statistical experts say an an.
nual wage of $3.50 is necessary
10 keep a family Of man, wife and
three children, in health, decency
and minimum amount OF comfort
In the bituminous coal mining
fields Of the country Mine Workers
earned less than half that sum las:
year. Yet the operators propose to
reduce their wages.
Aaverase Wage Cited
in the six year period from
1913 to 1918 land In 1918 more coal
was produced than ever before ana
all records were broken) the av.
erage annual earnings OF bitumin.
out mine workers throughout the
country were $S73.74. Surely, 1t
cannot be said that the miners are
earning too much money at the
present rate OF wages.
Goal miners are not respon-
sible for the high retail price at
which coal Is sold throughout the
country ]. D. A. Marrow, vIc4
president Of the National Coal as
ISOLATION, commonly known as the
operators union" testified before
the interstate commerce commits
sion few weeks ago taht \ the
average selling price Of bitumInous
coal In the United States in DC.
tober, 1921. was $10.41 ton, and
that the miners received S1.70 a
ton for producing It. In other
words. the miners got S1.79 for
producing a ion. Of coal that was
sold to the consumer for $10:41.
Who got tho other $S.44? There
Is a gouge, but the miners do not
get the money. II the public Is in
! terested in bringing down the sell.
, ing price Of coal they must look
beyond the miners for the way to
| do It, for the miners arc not to
blame for the high prices.
Goal companies have sought to
arouse a Tejudice against the
United Mine Workers OF America
because the convention Of the un.
Ion declared for the six hour day
and the five day week, ana the pc
sition of the miners on that issue
has be IN both misreprcsented and
misunderstood. Operators say the
miners want moro pay for less
work. That statement is not cor
rect, Working steadily thirty hours
a week, tho miners can produce
more coal than the country can
possibly consume. They say they
prefer reasonably steady employ
ment six hours a day rather than
irregular and unsteady employ.
ment eight hours a day. II they
can dig all the coal that is needed
In six hours why should they he
required work eight hours, they
ask.
"They want the assurance that
they will have the opportunity to
work steadily six hours a day. In
that way they can make n living.
But hey do not and cannot make a
living under present conditions.
Refers to Cheek.oH
1.-THE check.ofr is another issue
in the present controversy he.
tween bitumlnous miners and op.
orators. The check.off is not gen.
orally understood by the public.
Operators have attempted to maks
the public believe that through the
ChcckDif they are compelled To
contribute to the maintenance ano
upkeep OF the miners union, and
that, therefore. the check.off is a
sinful practice that should be
abolished. The coal operators do
not contribute single cent 10 the
union. The check.off does not
mean anything OF the kind. Hero Is
what the oheck-off means: A mem
Der Of the United Mine Workers OF
America authorizes his employer
in writing to deduct from his pay
envelope a small part OF his wages.
already earned, to pay his dues to
the union, The operator makes the
deduction and RENTS the money to
the union, just as he deducts other
sums and pays them to the dnctar.