The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-01-20
WHY CUT COAL
MINERS WAGE?

sizes on track.
(Southern Illinois is union terri
tory.)
PITTSBURG-The season, the cir
cumstances and the time of the year
combine to make the present and the
coming week the worst ever known
to the coal trade. Producer, jobber
and retailer are at dead standstill.
(Pittsburg field is unorganized.)
COLUMBUS, Ohio-There is no
disposition on the part of operators
to pile up coal for anticipated orders
later. since there are no indications
at this time that the industries will
start up with any degree of speed
after January 1. Some orders have
been cancelled after having been put
on the books in good faith. With
this unsettled condition the operators
have decided to play the waiting
game.
(Ohio is fully unionized. Column
bus operators announced recently
they would insist on a reduction in
wages. How would that help their
situation when there is no demand
for coal?)
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES from one
Ohio railroad show that whereas the
average number of cars used at the
mines daily is 240, the demand now
is not to exceed 101 cars. Both the
miners leaders and the operators
predict that unless conditions inn
prove by spring thousands of miners
and their families will be in dire need
of food and clothing.
(The territory referred to from
Cleveland is fully unionized. The
miners cannot be blamed for con-
ditions prevailing there in the trade)
Observation-Disclosures is at
the lowest ebb that it has been for
years, The office of the chief in
spector of mines at Frankfort re-
ports that 10000 miners are idle in
Kentucky and that many workings
are closed. Mines that were looked
on as being the most consistent in
production are now working only
one or two days a week.
CA small part of the Kentucky
field adjacent to Cincinnati is open
shop, while most of it is wholly nom
union. Wages already have been
slashed' but what good did it do?)
ASHLAND, Ky.-Idleness grew in
volume in December, as production
was further curtailed, it not being
much in excess of 20 per cent last
week. Comparatively few mines in
the entire northeast Kentucky region
were able to operate because of a
lack of orders, every marked factor
tending to make idleness more COM
plete. Only such mines as had been
able to hold on to their contracts
were still in operation, and these
mines on very limited scale. Spot
orders had become almost thing
of the past.
Northeast Kentucky is almost en-
tirely non-union, where the wage rate
is low. If this field had no business
under such circumstances, what good
would it do to reduce wages in other
fields p
INDIANAPOLIS. = There was
practically no steam coal business
There was practically no buying on
the open market this week. The
movement of steam coal was prob
ably the smallest of any week this
year.
cent orgeaniZed.)
CHARLESTON, w. Fa.-Idleness
was acute through Southern West
Virginia high volatile territory, as
reflected in an output as low as 20
per cent in the organized portion of
the territory, the output not being
much larger in unorganized territory
and notwithstanding the ability of
non union mines, through lower pro-
duction costs, to meet the competi-
ton of other non-union fields. Lack
of orders was the trouble. Few mines
had any market for their output
even at low prices, and operation
was impossible among most of the
plants in Southern West Virginia
Although the rate of production in
than in the neighboring Kanawha
field, the market was in slump and
production was still on the down
grade, not being as much as 10000
tons a day. Idleness was increasing
Notwithstanding the fact that mines
in this region were in a position
through lower wage costs to handle
coal at lower price than union
mines. Quoting of low prices failed
to arouse the interest of the trade
no coal being wanted.
(The Charleston territory is only
partly organized. 1t will be noted
as significant that non-union mines
even with low wages, had no bust
ness and their miners had no work. }
FAIRMONT, w. Vain some Sec
tons production was on as small a
scale as at any time since last April
Only a few of the mines were run
ming, approximately 16 per cent. II
had become necessary to reduce
working time even at mines with
standing orders, since customers
were calling for decreased tonnage.
Prices had reached so low stage
that even companies which have been
selling below the cost Of production
were unable any longer to keep up
the pace. The best time made at the
average mine was two days. Prices
had little or nothing to do with the
sale or movement of coal. Despite
the fact that many producers had
made concessions in prices, they
were unable to hold the business,
simply because no one wanted coal
or would have it even as gift.
Of nobody wants coal and if no.
body will have it as a gift, what
good would it do to reduce the mi
ners' wages? The Fairmont field is
nearly all organized)
BLUEFIELD, w. Va.-Two days
work was the average at most mines
Buying was at standstill as to all
grades, If there was any change at
direction, yet lower prices brought
all in prices it was in downward
no more buyers into the market In