Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-30
opinions and arrive at its own
conclusions.
What The IHnctS Arc

opinions and arrive at its own
conclusions.
What the Facts Are.
AT the outset it should be Under
stood that the question of unioniza-
ton affects essentially only the
Unanimous end Of the coal industry,
All anthracite miners do not be-
long to the union, but the union
agreements and conditions prevail
throughout the anthracite field, as
was shown by the fact that thore
was q complete cessation of an
thracite production when the
strike order became effective on
the first of the month.
In the bituminous fields, how
ever, there are large Independent
areas III Pennsylvania, West VIZ
glnia, Kentucky and Alabama
prior to the strike, union officiall
claimed that the bltuminous III,
dustry was so per cent unionlZed
and those figures are generally ac-
cepted by economists and by gov
eminent officials. Since the strike,
union organizers report substantial
progress IN extending the union in
pennsylvania Independent mines,
but the ant: union operators in
West Virginia have gone into court
and secured injuuctions restraining
the union from taking any and all
steps toward establishing locals
there. Government experts esli-
mated that the total production of
the independents in the strike en-
Urgency might approximate 40 per
cent of the country's coal require
ments, or at least 100000 tons a
week.
1t is undoubtedly true that the
country could worry along on that
amount OF coal, supplementing the
reserve stocks on hand April /, for
quite a period, especially in the
spring and summer when fuel
needs are lightest. This is the
basis of the claim of the independ-
ents that they are able to come to
the rescue of the public because
they have persisted in fighting the
union.
As against this the uion officials
contend that the Independents will
make the public pay dearly for this
coal, that the strike will be unduly
and unnecessarily prolonged by
reason of the fact that all the mines
in the country cannot be closed
down and the issue between the
operators and miners brought to
an immediate decision, and that
while the Independent mines may
be guarantee to the public against
an absolute coal famine they are
also the one big obstacle in the
road to permanent peace in the coal
industry.
Questions of Rights and Ethics.
No one denies the right of miners
10 join a union. AS President Hard
ing said in his message to congress
on December last, 1.-THE right of
labor to organize is just as funda-
and necessary as is the
right of capital to organize" indie
pendent coal operators, however,
and some employers in other lines,
insist that while the workers have
a right to joint their unions, en-
ployers have an equal right to re-
fuse to hire union members and to
insist upon the individual contract
in which each man agrees not to
join the union or do anything that
might in any way encourage or as
sist in the formation of a union so
long as he continues in the COM
pany's employ. Union miners call
these contracts yellow dog" con-
tracts and insist that these opera
tors in carrying out their anti
union program go to such extremes
as to invade the constitutional
rights of the workers as to freedom
OF speech and freedom of assem-
bly,, but the operators answer that
they are only safeguarding them
selves and the unorganized workers
in their constitutional rights of
freedom of contract.
1t remains to be seen whether
the walls which the courts have
reared around the West Virginia
Independent fields are to be sur
mounted or battered down by the
union, but in the light of past
events it is probable that unless
the union Is completely destroyed
1t will continue its efforts to bring
unorganized miners into the union
ranks. That means a more or less
constant state of industrial war
fare, and is one of the inevitable
results of an industry part union
and part non-union. With the
question of organization out OF the
way it is possible that both miners
and operators might direct their
experience, intelligence and efforts
toward solving problems of pro-
duction and marketing to the end
that the public would get it's coal
cheaper and more regularly, but
there are few present indications
Of trend In that direction.
In England far more has been
done toward the elimination OF
controversies over the question of
fhan hnr hnnr dn.n l.