Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-13

serious unless it be held with the
strikers that their rights Of free
speech and free assemblage were in
vaded n that that is a serious mat
ter. In any event, it is not to be for
gotten that almost every coal mine
would be ruined within a compare
lively short period of time unless the
pumps were kept working and GER
tain other things done regularly, and
that the striking miners did in every
instance leave enough men on the job
to preserve the coal properties. OF
course, in the long run it was to
their interest to do this, but it was
equally to the interests of the opera
tors, SO the miners should be given
due credit. ,..
When the strike in the bituminous
field was called off, or rather when
the bituminous miners began to re-
turn to work, it was as the result of
an agreement with certain of the op-
orators hat the old wage scale and
working agreement should be contin-
ued until March 81 next and that the
check-off system also should continue
where it had prevailed.
In the anthracite fields the old
agreement is resumed and will be
continued, until August 81 next.
In neither field is there a wage
reduction or a wage increase. The
bituminous miners did not ask for
more pay n it is well known that
they would have been glad to have
accepted a reduction of only 10 or Is
per cent last March, had the matter
been settled then. and if they had not
been asked to yield on other points
which they regarded as vital to their
organization and to their individual
interests. They may be said to have
won a victory, therefore, in 80 far as
wages are concerned, although of
course they lost q tremendous amount
of money during the months they
were idle.
The anthracite miners asked for a
wage increase and they do not get it,
so it. may be claimed with some JUS
tice that they lost their strike in 30
far as the wage issue vas concerned.
However, there is every reason to be-
heve that they would have. been glad
ITO renew their wage. agreement last
March If the operators could have
brought themselves to the point of
submitting such a proposition. Az
1t Is the miners will have the old
wage rate for practically q whole year
from the close of the strike.
The operators, of course. have real
lied good prices on the Goa stocks on
4AdIlu dt LuC> L1110 u Inc SLT1kS, n
particularly in the bituminous fields,
they will now get prices such as never
would have obtained If there had beer
no cessation of production. The min
ers will. have work at full time, and
possibly. at overtime. for the next
year at least, whereas otherwise they
would not have averaged more than
three or four days a week. Condi-
tons in an industry that vas over
mined and Over manned have been
stabilized to a certain extent, and
steps have been taken looking to an
investigation and reforms that may
prove of far-reaching benefit to All
concerned.
I In. view of all this some observers
may conclude that It would not be
said with fairness that either the min
ers or h operators won the strike.
There are so man, different angles to
the question that it is difficult TO eval.
nate the results and say that the bal
ance IL on one side or the other.
One thing is certain, however. We
may not know who won the coal
strike, but we may be sure that the
public lost 1t. II the public does not
know this already, in view OF empty
coal bins and mounting coal prices, Il
will know it before the winter is over,
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.
G.. How much has the government
paid the world war veterans to date!
IA. i.