Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-06-23
MINERS STRIKE
is ENDORSED
Especial to Newark Leader)


vote, the convention of the American
Federation of Labor responded to a
motion submitted by Executive Coun-
Gil Member w. D. Mahon, it did two
things:
1T gave enthusiastic endorsement
to the great strike of the miners;
2-It pledged all possible assistance
to the miners in the winning of that
strike.
Responding to the vote of the con-
vention, William Green, secretary of
the United Mine Workers of America,
and A. F. of l.. Executive Council
member, conveyed officially the ap-
probation of the miners to the con-
vention for its whole-hearted action.
"You have always understood, | am
sure" he said, "that the United Mine
Workers Of America are a fighting,
militant organization, and they have
never hesitated to fight when pressed
against the wall or when an attempt
was made to inflict upon them an in
defensible wrong.
"May l just state to you as mat
ter of information, that about two
years ago the coal operators agreed
to meet with the representatives Of
the United Mine Workers at the ex-
piration of contract that was en-
tered into, for the purpose of nego-
tiating a new agreement. That con-
tract was made under Government
supervision and Government direction;
the Government, in fact, was party
to the agreement; but when the con-
tract expired and they were asked to
comply with the agreement they had
entered into the coal operators fatty
refused, and up to this time have
steadfastly refused to live up to their
agreement.
$50 the miners are fighting, first,
for the recognition of contract rights,
fighting to compel the coal operators
to adhere to contract they entered
into. The struggle has gone on for
more than ten weeks. The fight has
been desperate from the beginning.
In many non-union sections of the
country and in some thoroughly or
ganized sections as WE'LL the coal
operators have fought the miners by
all the brutal, uncivilized methods
that have heretofore characterized in
dustrial conflicts in the mining fields.
"In the state of West Virginia, in
junction after injunction has been is
sued, men have been arrested for viO-
lating these injunctions, and with
their families thrown out of the
miserable homes that belong to the
operators, into the roads and high
ways and on the mountainsides.
Imagine, if you please, a family, a
wife, father and four or five chill
dren, thrown out on the highway with
their belongings In the rain, and snow.
Can you conceive of a more brutal
method of industrial warfare than
that? With no home in which to live,
is a tent into which our organization
moves them for the purpose of pro-
tecting the family from the elements.
That is the kind of warfare that has
been engaged in.
"Last week | addressed a meeting
at Uniontown, Pa, with 10000 United
Mine Workers and many of their
wives and children present. | never
observed on the faces of any body Of
men and women more fixed deter
mination to go through with the con-
fict even though the fight may last
all summer.
"Now the struggle has reached a
point where it is attracting the atten
tion of the people. We have fought
we'll and valiantlv, and we propose to
continue to fight. Our purpose is to
fight and win, but we would rather
fight and lose than accept it without
a protest.
'In Ohio, within the confines of the
state in which we are holding this
convention, the district officers have
been enjoined again and again, men
have been arrested and hailed before
the courts with the violation of inde-
fensible injunctions. The spirit and
morals of these men are wonderful,
and am sure you can appreciate that
the United Mine Workers are not only
making a figth for the American
standards of living, but they are ac-
tually making the fight for the or
ganized labor movement of America
81 want to express to the delegates
the appreciation of our organization
for the unanimous vote you gave US.
Perhaps if the struggle goes on it
will be required of the repres antatives
of our organization to come to sister
unions and ask them for something
more substantial than you have given
us this morning. | am sure, my
friends, that if it comes you will do
the best you can. | am sure we are
not going to come and ask for your
financial help unless we find it alb
solutely necessary to do So"