The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-03-10
A B OR
LABOR STATESMEN
"From the Mining Congress Journal

10 gave evidence 0i wise ana iorslEhlfd ~
rcction of labor policies.
For the last - months the bitminous coal
industry has been s%tagnant. The total pro.
iuc,.on Cor 1921 - lO7 100000 tons--is the
lowest record for 10 years. Yet during this
time in the face of widespread industrial de
preston the heavy liquidation OF agricultural
producers and other industries, Of increasing
unemployment and the closing OF mine opera
tons throughout the central competitive dis
trict, the leaders Of the United Mine Workers
have stubbornly refused to even consider .
reduction in wage scale, a wage scale which Is
based on a minimum Of $3.50 per day and is al
the very peak level Of wartime wages.
The inevitable result og this policy is evident.
In the non-union districts where a reduction
in wages was possible new records Of coal pro-
duction have been made and non.union coal
has not only dominated all of the nearby
markets but has successfully invaded markets
at remote distances mderselling the local pro
iuction and closing down hundreds Of mine
operations. The policy Of the labor leaders has
been the direct cause of decreasing the number
of men employed in the industry and of de
crcasing the time of employment for those
working in mines which were not shut down.
This policy has caused an increase Of suffering
and is weakening the labor organizations.
The United Mine Workers during the last
20 wears has beep n dominating inf1,oroo bo,b
IN the anthracite and bituminouS coal indus
tries and in these basic and essential industries
the mower Of tho labor unions has b.en aIr,ast
complete.
The real strength of the Irnitcd Mine
Workers and tbe success az the orgouization
has beep due primarily I'm tho foot tba, i, v,o,y
coal mining districts tbc onerotors b,vo en-
sidered tLe establishment ~ 4 un;eor,a ,rono
scale through negotiations between the ron.
resentatiyes of the coal operotors and of IN.
central labor organizations In lac of verv
definite bcnefit Ia tbe;r oup ;r,eros,, III,
coal ouerators bnve considered ,be wo,o s.olo
ns the one stable item In a ser;es or y,r,ina
and widely difsere,,, oos,s ,ud ba,a hoI;.n.S
that the uniform wage furnished como mo
| lection 10 them from nt.tbrna comne,i,ion
| and yieious underseIlng of the markers
The extent ia which Ibis foalin, rr,yo1.1
among cnal operators maJc onnosiiio, Ioss
| radical TO the check.off system whereby rho
| operators deduct from The nav onysloncs ,hc
dues of the labor uniop thereby maxim, oyor,
worker of necessity a cont ributipg member -,
| the labor organization. Thu check off svstsu
| has given the labor nnions a large incomc and
| the possibility of Lowing assessment n, ann
time.
The abuse of power bv labor upions duripg
| the war and their attitude dnriny ,Lo last n
months have created \ verv d;ffer,r, colin,
ON the cart Of the operators The copI onerator.
in the union districts now real;gc ,bat ~
power of the union has becn bnil, nm a. sncI
am eyten, that /, Is crtreneIy dan,sr,,s F.nn,
the -standnoint Of Tho coal indns,,,, :, ,he
central connective fie,d Tho faiL,ro 90 r.,
unions 10 extend nioni1ation 90 ,ha adjust,
10 West viryin;, and eastern Kont,nr, 49,
the ronid devalonment tboro 80 srlonJii ~
deposits Ieaves ,bo coal onorotor =; ~ ,ho oan.ra
eonnetitive distrtet foca ~ r.oo ,.i,S ,b,
dilemma Of either cIosina Avn ,,;no . oa
ar ~ securing n reduction ho,b H. ,raaos an,
IN mo nov,or lahar afsia;aIs ;. n ~ ~