, 1922-03-09
Labor Politicians or Labor Statesmen

Mary q the best friends Of labor
.hzre been or are being afenafed by
the failure OF labor leaders IN the face.
Of economic facts to give evidence OF.
wise and farsighted direction OF la
Dor policies declares the Mining
Congress journal
TOR the last is months the bitums-
nous coal industry has been stagnant
The total production for 1sz1-O7~
600. 900 tons-is the lowest record for
ten Yet during this time In
the face Of Widespread Industrial de-
preston The heavy h~dutdntion OF ag-I
r~icuitHral producers and other indus
tries Of increasing unemployment.
and the closing OF mine operations
'throughout the central competitive
district tho leaders OF the United Nine
Workers hase stuboornly refused to
even conz5dsr n reduction in wage
sca1s. = wage scale which Is based on
IA miniuum OF $3.50 per day and Is Mt
the very peak level Of wartime wages
The Inevitable result of This 20
hey i evident In he ~non-union dis
triets S.s~e n Induction IN IA was
possible new records OF cnai production
have besn made and non-union coal
has not only dominated all OF the
nearby markets but has successfully
invaded markets at remote distances
underseu1ing tho local production and
ciosfng down hundreds OF mine opera-
tons The policy Of tho labor leaders
has been tho direct aus Of decreasing
tho number OF mon employed in tho
industry and Of decreasing the time Of
employment nor those wof King in
mines which were not shut down. This
policy has caused an Increase OF suf-
fering and Is weakening tho labor or
CARNATIONS.
The United Nine Workers during
the last 20 years has been q dominat-
lng influence both IN the anthracite
and bitsIminous coal industries and in
these basic and essential industries
the owe OF the labor unions has been
almost complete.
The real strength Of the United
Nine Workers and tho success of the
organization a been due primarily to
the fact that in many coal mining dis
tricts the operators have considered
tho establishment OF a uniform wage
scale through negotiations between the
representatives Of the coal operators
and OF the central labor organizations
to DO OF very definite benefit TO their
own interests. Tho coal operators
have considered tho wage scale as the
one stable item in n series OF vary
ing and widely different costs and
have believed that the uniform wage
Furnished some protection to them
from cut-throat competition and vic
ious undertaking. of the markets.
saTho r-fn1N - --AN-A eAG-
prevailed among coal operators made
opposition less radical to the check-oft
system whereby tho operators deduct
from the nay envelopes the dues of the
labor union. thereby making every
worker of necessity n contributing
member Of the labor organization. Tho
check-on system has given the labor
unions . largo income and the POSSIBLE
lity Of levyfuy special assessment at
anytime
THE abuse Of pow r. by labor unions
during the war and their attitude dur
Ing the lant Is months have created
a very different feeling on tho part
Of the operators. The coal operators
in the union districts now realize that
the power Of the union has been built
up TO such an extent that II is ex-
tremety dangerous from the STANDPOINT
of inc coal industry In the central
competitive field. The failure OF he
unions to extend n~ionization of tho
industry to West Virginia and eastszn
Hcntucly and the rapid DEVELOPMENT
there Of splendid coal deposits leaves
the coal operator IN tho central CON-
p~etitive district faee to face with the
dilemma of either Closing down mrna
nraFu tAa~n N- ~
both in wages and in the power
labor officials to dominate the all i'm.
portant cost in his mine production.
1. is claimed that the non-union fields
now have a capacity OF production OF
nearly six million tons a week ana
with the present Industrial demand