New-York tribune., 1922-04-08
Mine Leader
Industry
Be Reorganized
(pening OF New Shafts by
Shoesirins Spectators
Must Be r strictc d.
Brophy cI'sConsressmen
Federal Inquiry Asked
Asserts Operators Have Re-
sisted All Government
Moves to Ascertain Costs

WASHINGTON, April t. Miners
,,ion representatives, now Oh strike,
:. Central Pennsylvania, backed up
...;r rational officers to-day in appear
10 before the House Labor Committee
:, urpe Federal attention to the in
Sustry.
.onr bsief is that an industry which
gives only 100 days work year needs
a reorganization" John Brophy' pres'-
d.r, ~ District No. ,, United Mine
Workers, testified.
10 get this We must have 'ne lacts
sscertained by an impartial FEDERAL
commission. which Will sit in the case
q coal
Che opening OF new MINES oy shoe
,ring spectators was SAID by Mr..
prophy to be desirable, "becsuSe there
.re now too many mines and too many
miners
Mr.. Brophy took issue with 7. H..
Watkins, a Pennsylvania operator. who
testified before the committee yester-
day as to wages Approximately $1,000
miners in Central Pennsylvania last
year earned Sl4.6l week. or sos a
dsy for the year, because there was
hardly two days OF work a week for
them" Mr.. Brophy asserted.
Says Operators Oppose Inquiry
The operators. through the Ma
tiona Coal Association. Mr.. Brophy
said had resisted legally all govern
ment attempts to establish costs and
profits in the industry.
"prices Of coal, s. at the mine. be-
come $40 at tdewater," he added. "If
this strike continues the public is
colng TO be soaked again in the prices,
especially by the non-union operator.
That is why these disturbances should
.. stopped The miners demand
sesrchlight on the industry that will
expose its bookkeeping and its wastes
and determine whether it cannot pay a
living wage and yet give its products
TO the people at a reasonable price"
Chairman Nolan asked about the
check off" against which operators
rave complained, and Mr.. Brophy ex-
planed that $3.04 a month was held
ous Of each mans pay by the employ
ers and turned over to the local union.
IL paid the running expenses of the
,1ion he said. death and sick bene-
Cts, and cost of weighing each miners
product, to determine his pay. The
national union got fifty cents each
month from each man.
Would Bar New Production
"Do you think there can be anv full
assumption Of employment in the Goa,
lrdustry?' Representative Black. Dem
ocrat, Texas, asked, without some re.
duction in costs, including wages ?"
81 have suggested some steps" Mr.
Brophy replied, "including the preven-
ton Of new production, ! don't be-
eVe reductions of anywhere from %
70 50 per cent in wages is necessary.
as some Pennsylvania operators have
suggested"
DO you think it would be cconomi.
cally sound, with all these other in
dustries getting off high price levels ?"
Nh Black continued, "to try and keep
the coal industry up and paying wages
high enough to Offset consequent un-
employment?"
you can't better consumption by
cutting wages Mr.. Brophy replied.
and second, if coal is too high, let us
rave a commission to find the real
facts"
Chairman Nolan asked if the union
stood ready to negotiate with oper-
ators generally. The witness replied
that the statement Of John L. Lewis.
president of the Mine Workers. Union
before the committee, to the effect that
they would negotiate, could stand for
all of its members
Gentleman's Agreement Charged
Representative Ricketts,, Republican.
ONO, in brief discussion of the coal
strike in the House to-day, declared
that there was false propaganda
Going over the country that the high
coal prices prevailing in certain sec
1Iohs OF the country are due to high
wages received and demanded by the
He charged the operators