The New York herald., 1922-04-09
miner STANDS ALONE
With HIS HIGH WAGES
Others in Coal Regions
Want Readjustment to
Hit Him, Too.
BUSINESS COMPLAINS
Labor Costs Of Fuel Hurt
Industry in Districts
Where 1t Is Found.
EXTRAyAGANCE HALTED
Savings Grow Steadily and
High Living Standard
Still Prevails.
EXTRAyAGANCE HALTED

Special Dispatch 10 TIE NEW YORK HERALD
WILKEsBARRE. Pa, April SIN the
center of the anthracite region, where
half million or more miners are
fighting to keep their wartime wages,
the wartime spending-known as the
silk shirt period in American industry
lis having final fling.
While the miners are not spending
as they did during the peak of tho
war, and are Just beginning to draw
with caution on their big savings ac-
cumulated in anticipation of the strike.
they are about the last great group Of
workers in this country to get back
to normal living.
Careful survey OF general Industrial
and economic conditions through this
portion OF the Wyoming valley. the
heart of the coal district, made by
THE New YORK HERALD in the last
week. shows surprising situation
among the coal and other industries.
Workers in all other industries than
the coal fields and the public and the
business world generally are hoping
for a reduction Of tho miners wages
They don't shout 1t from housetops,
but they admit 1t in offices and homes.
Miner Stands by Himself.
The miner stands alone even in his
home town. The strike leaders appear
to recognize that the strike Is not
based on sound principle, and that if
the wages of the miners are not cut
all other industry throughout the
whole region may suffer permanent in
jury.
1t Is a fact. according to a dozen en-
rioyers in as many lines. that other In
dustry and labor generally outside the
coal fields right now are undergoing
hardships because of the excessive
wages paid to the miners The wages
in other lines have been cut uniformly
throughout the country with the pos
sible exception of the railroads. The
different parts OF the country, there
FORE have been kept on about an equal
basis. Wages in every line throughout
this whole district have been cut, ex-
cepting those of the miners.
The result Is that other industry in
mis- locality must compete with the out
side world on the basis of the mine
wages. 1t Is difficult to get workers
IN any of the factories like the textile.
iron and other mills unless the scale of
wages paid to the miners are paid for
all classes of work. And IL those wages
are paid. the manufacturer finds he
cannot compete with other localities
where there Is uniform reduction and
things are on equal footing.
Labor Item Too Costly.
products bid for a big job against a
Chicago firm last week and the Chicago
firm was $4,000 lower Than the local
man on the single item of labor. The
job went to Chicago.
This entire region more than most
districts depends on its one big business.
which is coal mining. The Chamber of
Commerce states that 10000 men and
Toys are employed in the anthracite
mines of Luzerne county and 10000 in
other industries and manufacturing
lines. The population OF the county Is
about 100000. The employers Of the
10000 must pay relatively the same
wages as the 10000 get or not get the
work done. And this they cannot do.
The employers say. and compete In their
output with the rest OF the country
where there has been uniform cut In
all wages
With the general reduction in the cost
of living throughout the country and
the average reduction of about 20 per
cent. in wages generally, the miner In
from 80 to 40 per cent. better off than
labor in any other line in the entire
region. and. In fact. generally In the
country. The result Is that the miner
If living correspondingly better than his
brother in any other trade, and that
leads to wholesale dissatisfaction.
All Ifncs Feel Hardshfu.