The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1922-10-05
rMcMaster Answers Miss Dalv


kota, received telegram from
Alice Lorraine DAILY, nen-partisan
league candidate for governor, and
in view of the fact that the tele-
gram was concerning matter OF
public policy and that she desires
to make public the answer to GER
tain questions, he deemed it pro-
per to publish her telegram and
his answer thereto. Miss Days
telegram reads as follows:
MITCHELL S. D., Sept IS, 1922
Gov. w. H. McMaster, Pierre. S. d.
Will you please furnish me ac-
curate information on the follow
ing questions: Are non-union men
now employed at the South Dakota
state coal mine at Haynes? Are
these men working under guard?
Do the scabs and the guards cost
less than the union men who are
denied employment? Is the output
of coal at the mine as large as
possible? | have definite informant
ion as to contrary and am await
ing your confirmation before pres
enting it to the public in the
threatened coal crisis. Will you not
return the union men to work at
the wages which they are demand
ing and in every way make them
contented workers so that the out
put Of the mine will help to meet
the neds of our people?
Signed: Alice Lorraine Daily.
The governors reply follows
Will say in order that your ques-
tions may be intelligently answer
ed, it is necessary to recite the
conditions that have developed and
as they exist at the present time
The mine operators and represen-
tatives Of union labor met in Gle
Ohio. some time ago and
agreed that all existing contracts
and wage scales in vogue March
81, 1922. should continue effective
until. April |. 1923; and that the
operators should open the, mines
and that the men should immed-
ately go back to work
The operators in North Dakota
and the leaders of labor union.
held meeting to ratify the ac
tion of the Cleveland meeting and
agreed to these terms. excepting
that in North Dakota an increase
of Is per cent in wages was de
manded by the labor unions. ow-
ing to the fact that what is known
as the Wilton mine, was paving
18 per cent more than the other
mines located in North Dakota.
The Wilton mine is what is known
as wet" mine. in which it is
far more difficult to mine coal
than in "dry" mine. and laborer
in the dry mine Of South Dakota !
can make as large wages at our
present scale as he can at the
scale in the Wilton mine
The scale of wages paid on the
South Dakota mine are as follows:
For common labor on top of mine
$500 per day; for common labor in
the mine $6. 90 per day, and over :
time at the same rate The acutal
miners Of coal are paid on the ton
basis, their wages being entirely
dependent upon the actual work
they do. For example, one named
Otto Cimmers and helper; during
the months Of August received a
wage of $606. 80, out Of which was
deducted their supplies and a GER
tain number of meals. They re-
ceived net check of $504 .07, and
did not work the full month of
August. An expert machine cut
ter worked IA days and received .
a check for 1904 90. /
As to the conditions surround
ing the life of the working men
at the state mine. | feel confident
that there is no mine in America
that has paid more attention to
\ wholesome environment for their
men than has this state. We
have provided for them shower
baths, clean rooms and clean beds, 4
a comfortable club room with cleo
trio lights, and the men who board .
at the mine receive wholesome
food, as good as goes on the table