New Britain herald., 1922-11-10
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IN MINING REGION
 WITH HERALD MAN
Life and Customs of Underground Workers Are Interesting Study

(The second of series Of articles
 on the anthracite coal regions oi Pennsylvania, by Herald represent alive who lived in that section for more than 25 years and spent years on newspapers published in the heart of the coal region. Most of the incl dents described were seen by the writer when covering the stories for newspapers upon which he was cm- ployed).
 In a recent article in the Herald giving a survey of coal mining con- ditions and telling of the hardships under which an anthracite miner works and the usual low wages he gets for risking his life under ground in dark, cold, wet and dirty places all day. the statement was made that in those regions adverse comment on the miners union could be made only in whispers.
 Persons who have lived or spent time visiting the anthracite regions of Pennsylvania know that in times of strike or industrial unrest, this is literally true. In most respects pIOSICoolNc pcOples generous to fault and far less con servative in business methods than New England communities, so rad ical are the people in the anthracite regions on the subject of labor or ganizations that it would mean talk ing chances of personal injury to openly criticise the unions, even today.
 Situation in H6frin.
 This, no doubt, is the same condi- ton which confronted the sheriff and others in Herrin, Illinois, who un- doubtedly failed to prevent the wholesale murders because they were afraid of their own lives. This same attitude is mainly responsible for the famous mounted constabulary of Pennsylvania.
 The Deadly Insult.
 A Pennsylvania miner could be called liar, wife beater, or a | horse thief and he would laugh at l it, but to call him ''scab" is nor tai insult which can be wiped out in I one way only-by fighting. The l faintest breath of suspicion that a | person sympathizes with the oper-1 ators would mean social ostracism for that person.
 During all big strikes in the coal fields of Pennsylvania there is consI siderable rioting in many coal region | towns Here and there a man may be found who sticks to his work, one who is considerably braver than the others. No one of course actually mines coal but some flremen, some pumpsmen, fan operators, repairmen, n1achinists, blacksmiths, carpenters, locomotive engineers. etc. remain at their posts
 Wasn't His Baby.
 There Is a standing joke through out the anthracite coal fields, which is said to have had its inception in a poem published in newspapers during the now historical strike of 1902, from. which date all things are recorded in that section of the Key stone state. According to the story a miner on strike arrived home one evening to be met at the door by a neighbor woman who informed him that during his absence his wife had presented him with new born son. The miner went to see his offspring, picked the baby up very carefully, } looked 1t over thoroughly and ac- { cused his wife of unfaithfulness. After friends and relatives had z made him see the wrong he had 1one his wife in making such a la ,harge, he replied, that the young S ,ter could be no son of his because , ( t did not bear the union label This I s characteristic of the general feel c ng towards unionism in general in c hat section. lv
 Dangers of Labor. F Before the mounted constabulary Il vas formed, during strikes, anyone t ound on the streets in working i, ,lothes was liable to suffer physical r injury. Even railroad men, plumb- b ITS, in fact all who wore overalls and d arried lunches were in danger of V ,eing mistaken for mine workers and assaulted. The writer at one time vas employed in hosiery mill which a vas working overtime during coal S