Arizona republican., 1922-04-07
Dougherfy Says Anti
Trust LolDs Will Not
Bar Wage Agreement


ducing districts of the country out
side of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and
Western Pennsylvania to fix scales
It would be financial suicide" ht
added, ''for the group he repre-.
sented to continue making its wages
on the basis of the interstate agree
ment for which negotiations had not
been begun, and he accused the
union leaders of "autocratic abuse
Of power in calling the nationol
strike.
The attorney generals statement
Of position was contained in a letter
to Representative Bland, Republican
OF Indiana, who had referred to re-
peated statements by operators that
Interstate wage agreements possibly
constituted violations of the Sherman
law. Mr.. Daugherty stated, however.
that he considered 1t e duty OF
operators and miners to hold such
negotiations and he asked IL after
taking that position it was likely
that the department OF justice would
undertake a prosecution.
For Central Pennsylvania operators,
who employed $4,000 of the striking
miners, Mr.. watkins said there was
no disposition to break the organiza-
ton Of the United Mine Workers, be-
cause It might be replaced by an or
ganization more violent" but he de-
clared the unions leaders were
grossly ignorant Of economic law"
The union fields had been constantly
losing business to the non-union
fields he asserted, and even the union
men had been forced by idleness to
leave their examinations and go to
other fields. Like most other dis
tricts outside the central compete
tive field, he added, his associates
had been refused an opportunity to
negotiate new wage agreement.
Pictures Class Struggle
representative Bland suggested
that if the struggle was allowed to
go on, "the railroads and the steel
interests and other industrial enter
prises would be all lined up on one
side and all union labor on the
other"
Then you will see the real people
of the United states" Mr.. watkins
retorted, Communicating such groups
as you have suggested, rise up and
say, so far shall you go and no fur
ther.' Operators also intended, Mr..
Watkins continued, to abolish the
check-off system by which they coll
leet the union dues out of pay rolls,
because the union ought to be made
up of voluntary members" He took
issue with statements of the miners
union concerning the seasonal char
acter of the industry, declaring the
fluctuations in supply ana demand,
which brought Intermittent employ
ment to workers were less in coal
mining than in any other basic in
dustry."
Although the 1921 drop IN output
was the "severest in the history of
coal mining" he added, it could be
represented at the low point as being
10 per cent of the full 100 per cent of
peak output"
Chairman Nolan remarked ct one
time during interchanges with the
witness that the country believes
was made by the refusal Of
operators in the central competitive
field to live up to their agreement"
to again enter interstate negotiation.
THE people are not concerned
the two sides come together
by districts or states" he added, land
we hope that q week or ten days will
bring it about"
The committee plans to continue
It's hearings daily and had summoned
union witnesses from Pennsylvania
to appear before it.