The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-11-22
Coal Operators
Tell Their Troubles
Statement Filed by Operators
at Request Of United States
Coal Commissioner

troubles and adequate transporta-
ton, according to a letter from an
authorized committee of bltumin-
Gus operators, filed today by re-
opest of the United States coal
commission, are the two require
men.s most needed by the coal in
dustry. A denial that 'aeknow-
Iedged Generalization" could be
said to exist in the industry be-
cause of recent difficulties and a
suggestion that extension of the
aautocratic control of the United
Mine Workers of America would
add to the difficulties We're also in
corporated in the report which
was made through the National
Coal association.
The commission asked generally
for the employers view of the di-
rection which should be given its
efforts in the endeavor to comply
with the law requiring it to ascer-
tain all the facts concerning coal
production, and the operators letter
set out seven points which they
considered should be covered, as
follows:
1. The effect on production and
on the price of coal. to the con-
sumer, of the nonopoistic and
absentee control Of mine labor in
the United States.
2. The opposition Of organized
labor to the introduction Of labor
saving machinery.
8. The on-observance by or
ganized labor of contracts made on
its behalf.
a. The existing prices Of mining
materials and supplies and COM
parison between them and the
prices existing prior to the war.
5. The existing freight rates, and
a comparison between them and
the rates existing prior to the war.
: 6. The effect Of inadequate trans
portation facilities on production
and cost Of coal.
IL The character and quality Of
the different Goals, the uses to
which they are put, and the de-
mand therefor.
To specific questions from the
commission concerning the cause
of strikes, the operators returned
answers criticizing the miners
union.
z Strikes occu- from time to time
at individual mines by reason Of
local causes, the letter said. They
are always an economic loss. They
are usually a breach of contract
on the part of the miners.
There can be no doubt that the
Fundamental cause of such local
strikes, as vel, as strikes of a na-
tion-wide character, like those Of
1919 and 1922. is the despotic con-
troll of approximately 60 per cent
of the mine labor of the United
States and Canada by a single or
ganizatien, with. power to stop at
will the production and movement
in interstate commerce Of approxi-
ma tely so per cent. of the normal
coal output Of the country. In the
opinion of this committee the con-
tinGation, to say nothing Of any
further extension of the autocratic
power of the United Nine Workers
of America, would be caIanitous
to the general welfare Of the coun-
try.
Wage payments can not he stand
arSized, the operators contended in
answering, another specific ques-
ton, because of variance in living
costs and conditions in various sec
tons OF the United States. Further
a suggestion from the commission
that overproduction in coal mines
might be met by closing down
non-econonic. mines, under statu-
tory authority to be hereafter cre-
ated, was strongly attacked.
Eve know OF no way in which
any: mine may be closed down
contrary TO the wish of the owner,
except by the operation Of eco
nomic law" the operators declar-
ed.
1.-The closing down of so-called
excessive cost mines, we suggest,
will be effectually accomplished by
competition whenever the play of
competitive forces is free from
the interruption caused by strikes
with their resulting panic among
buyers and runaway markets
The letter declared the following
points were basic:
First. that every man has a
right to work without either inter
ference or compulsion when. for
whom and upon such terms as he
may see fit.
Second, that while the right Of
workers to organize for legitimate
purposes can not be denied, such
organizations have no right to I'M
pede or restrain those who. do not
care to join or deal with them.
Third, that the right of pri-
vate property is and must remain
inviolabie.
Fourth. that in the last resolve
the law Of supply and demand al
ways has and always will determine
prices, that no legislation can long
interfere with this inexorable rule,
that any interference can only be
justified, if at all, in tlme of war.
and that at any time it will in
evitably produce greater evils than
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