The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-10

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the poverty level on $3.50 a
week.
Statistical experts say an an.
nual wage of $1,S70 is necessary
TO keep a family Of man, wife and
three children In health, decency
and a minimum amount, Of comfort
In the bitumInous coal mining
fields OF the country Mine Workers
earned less than half that sum last
year. Yet the operators propose to
reduce their, wages.
Average Wage Cited
IN the six year period from
1918 TO 1918 land In 1918 more coal
was produced than ever before ana
all records were broken) the av.
erage annual earnings OF bitumin.
out mine workers throughout tho
country were SS73.T4. Surely, II
cannot be said that the miners are
earning too much money at the
present rate Of wages.
Goal miners are not respon-
sible for the high retail price At
which coal is sold throughout the
country j. D. A. Marrow, vic!
president Of the National Coal as
ISOLATION. commonly known as the
operators union" testified before
the interstate commerce commits
sion few weeks ago taht the
average selling price OF bituminous
coal in the United States in DC:
tober, 1921, was $40 II a ton, and
that the miners received S1.79 n
ton for producing 1t. IN other
words, the miners got S1.70 for
producing a ton OF coal that was
sold to the consumer for $1O.41.
Who got the other SS.A4? There
is gouge. but the miners do not
get the money. II the public Is in.
terested In bringing down the sell:
ing price OF coal they must look
beyond the miners for the way 10
do it, for the miners are not to
blame for the high prices.
Coal companies have sought tn
arouse a TTejudlce against the
United Mine Workers OF America
because the convention of the I'M.
ion declared for the six hour day
and the five day week. ana the no
sltion Of the miners on that issue
has beon both misrepresented and
misunderstood. Operators say ths
miners want more pay for less
work. That statement is not COR
rect. Working steadily thirty hours
a week, the miners can produce
more coal than the country can
possibly consume. They say they
prefer reasonably steady employ
ment six hours a day rather than
irregular and unsteady employ.
ment eight hours. a day. II they
can dig all the coal that Is needed
in six hours why should they be
required to work eight. hours, they
ask.
They want the assurance that
they will have the opportunity to
work steadily six hours a day. In
that way they can make a living.
But hey do not and cannot mako. 4
living under present conditions.
Refers to cheek.oH
1.-THE check.ofr is another issue
in the present controversy he.
tween bituminons miners and on.
orators. The cheCk.otf is not gen.
orally understood by the public.
Operators have attempted to make
the public believe that through the
checknff they arc compelled to
contribute to the maintenance ann
upkeep OF the miners union, and
that, therefore. the check.oHf Is e
sinful practice that should be
abolished. The coal operators do
not contribute single cent to the
union The check.off does not
mean anything Of the kind. Here is
what the check-oif means; a mem
Der Of the United Mine Workers Of
America authorizes his employer
in writing TO deduct from his nay
envelope a small part ofS,ls wages,
already earned, to pay his dues to
the union. The operator makes the
deduction and RENTS the money to
the union, Just as he deducts other
a1ims and pays, them TO the dactnS.