The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-02-03
NINE MEN PERMITTED TO
OVERRIDE PEOPLES WILL,
SPEAKING THROUGH CONGRESS
Workers Own Fault if They Are Not in Control
of Political Machinery
Price of Coal Higher Now Than at Peak of War
PrOfiteering

an industrial controversy, just as it
would outlaw the use of poison gas
by either side in military operations.
Workers May Rule When They
Want To
If the workers of this nation are
not in control Of the political ma
chinery, it is the workers own fault.
That is truth that cannot be side
stepped OF wiped out. Possessing, as
they do, the economic power, the
workers also have the political power.
Who is to be blamed but workers
themselves when they delegate both
economic and political power to their
enemies?
In recent political struggles where
labor has taken an intelligent and
determined stand, the result has never
teer. in doubt. Possessing a major
ity of votes, labor took the time and
trouble to place them in the ballot
holding office. The extension of this
gratifying system - all sections of
the nation would work a transforma-
ticn that would be as revolutionary
as it unquestionably would he benefit
cent.
A striking demonstration of what
workers can do along political lines
when they organize for action was
given in Manchester, Ca, recently.
Manchester is a junction point of the
Atlantic, Birmingham & Atlanta rail-
way. 1t is hotbed of anti-union cot
ton manufacturers. For ten months
the railroad workers there have been
on strike in protest against the at
tempt of the A. B. and A. to reduce
wages in violation of orders of the
United States railroad labor board.
They have been subjected to all kinds
of annoyances by officials of Man.
chester, who are under the control of
the railroad and the r-hating cot
ton manufacturers.
To change hits situation the work
ers, without newspaper support and
with the solid business organization
against them, went to the mat with
their opponents in the recent c!et-
ton and captured the city govern
ment. The mayor and four city
councilmen elected were nominated
by the workers.
The Coal Situation.
The latest reports of the bureau of
labor statistics of the United States
Department of Labor reoprted that
in five cities in which a survey was
made it was found that the price of
coal today is higher than at the peak
of wartimep rofiteering. There has
been a steady increase in the cost to
the consumer since last May.
At the same time the production
has dropped to the lowest Point in
the history of the industry. Thou
sands of miners and their families are
actually starving. Many of them
have not been permitted to do a days
work for nearly year.
West of the Mississippi farmers are
burning corn as fuel, because they
are unable to meet the high price DC"
l1anded for coal.
This, badly, is an outline of the
coal situation. Miners starve be-
cause they are not producing; farm
ers burning food because it is cheap
err than coal, and the OPERATOR starv-
ing the worker and freezing the
farmer, is taking his profits in dimin-
ished production.
The country is about to be deluged
with propaganda favoring wage cut
for workers, the argument being that
this is necessary to increase produc-
ton and lower costs. The public will
fall for this stuff, no doubt; but if
the facts were known the coal barons
would not get far with their cam
paign.
Nine labor costs are not higher
than they were three years ago. Coal
prices are much higher than they
were three years ago. And three
years ago the coal industry was
proven to be enormously profitable
Some operators, according to official
statistics. made more than 5000 per
cent on their investment. Profits
running from 100 to 1000 per cent
were comparatively common. Rail-
roads today are paying for coal just
about half the price charged con-
sumers. 1t would be fatuous to as
sumo that the operators are handling
this business at a loss.
What the coal barons desire is still
higher profits and to that end they
intend, if they can, to further impov
erish their workers. Even should
wages he reduced there is no assur-
ance that the public will get the BEN
eft. The operators will see to that.
for their past record proves that
there is no limit to their rapacity.
OWryu m ~ Ann nnn