The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-06
Mine OWNERS
ASK Their. men
ToFoRM UNION
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the miners union went to pieces
the companies quietly encourag-
ed it all. But what has happened
since 1914? On the heels of tie
other leaders came something
worse-the 1. w. W.'s-and they
found this a fertile district for
their exploitation. With the I. ".
WIS came a Socialist mayor and
for a time Butte was in the hands
of the most radical elements in
America. They preyed on the
working men. They called strikes
to suit their whims. Compared
with the l. W. WIS, the old union
was a tame affair.
Drive Out l. W. ".
But gradually in the last two
years the 1. wv. WIS have been
driven out. The miners have de-
veloped leaders who are conserya-
tive and far seeing. They have
comforting with Representatives OF
the mining companies and both
sides have agreed that a state of
disorganization is fraught will
danger not only to the employers
but more particularly to, the min
ers who became victimized and
terrorized.
| Even that is not all. The COM
| banies are running their mines al
only SO per cent of capacity. They
are Offering s475 per day but car
get no response from other parts
of the country, They have heard
however, that many miners whC
drifted away and took their fam.
lilies with them when the I. W. W
! troubles came, would be glad u
come back il they could be as
sured Of protection against radi'
Gals.
Employers Learn Lesson.
What they have learned in Butte
is that if you crush all form o
organization or if you attempt tt
control a labor organization 20;
open field for worse trouble.
with the radical agitators. Thu
new union here is to be called tn,
Butte District Independent Miners
union. The leaders say they vii
not affiliate with Meyers Yves
tern Federation of Miners becaus,
that means outside dictation.
is true that there are various 9th
er crafts well organized here ant
affiliated directly with the Ameri
can Federation Of Labor, so tn
opposition is not aimed at th
American Federation of Labor S,
much as against the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners and it is becaus
of their experience with the latte
that the miners prefer to function
as an Independent unit. Natural
ly the operators are not displease,
lover this development and will d
J all they can to encourage it.
The two viewpoints-that Of EN-
ployer and miner-are best illus
J trated by the speeches made at tn
| joint conference this week between
the committees representing min
ers and operators.
! Want Men Organized?
i you say you want the operator
to take you in good faith" sal,
James Robbins, assistant to tn
president of the Anaconda Cope
company. I'VE want to do that. w
!. | as we'll as you men need and wan
an honest, clean labor organiza
ton. Either you must have uniol
for honest competition or else 20
will have union that makes TO
trouble, strikes and all its attend
ing ills. The sooner we know you
objects, the sooner we can arriy
at definite understanding"
In reply to this, ]. T. Martin
spokesman for the miners. said
Most of the men in this new unio
are property owners. We own GU
homes, and one of the reasons 70
the organization Is that we hope t
stabilize conditions. We do nc
want to work for a month and the
have a gang OF floaters call Silk
and have men yell 'scab' at us whe
on our way home.
I'VE contend we have the rigt
to organize. We have demands 7
mako Of the company, but l belfev
I Am Toicing dhe- sentiments Of on
emsmbesuheAl say -thatIa-1a