Milford chronicle., 1923-09-28
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
JACK MEETS THE FURNACE AND
LEARNS ABOUT COAL

lOTSGIS sum.
mer clothes and wonders if the moths
were busy the past months in tbeil
winter outfits. Ruth and Jack were
home playing in the attic and TTncIe
Ied had just arrived by way of the
back door and was discussing with
Mother whether or not thew sbOuId
start fire in the furnace.
Wouldn't be a bad idea" said I'm
Gle Ted. 1T will take the chill off the
house and also we can see if the fur
mace is working all right for the win
ter" VIII
Start it if you want to-" said Mn
ther I'm warm enough in this kit
chen. But if you do start it get Jack
10 help you 1t is time he was learn
ing something about it."
Uncle Ted went into the house and
called up stairs, Jack! Oh, Jacki |
come down here. I've got something
tor you." Jack came down about six |
steps at a time. What is it Uncle
Ted?"
I've got job for you. Come on and
help your Uncle start the furnace"
Zee, L wanted to play" said Jack.
1T isn't cold anyway"
NOW come on Jack Time you were
learning something about a furnace
ana while we are working I'll tell you
story about coal Ruth, come along
and you can listen while your brother !
works this time" They were soon l
hard at it-spliting wood, cleaning
and shoVeling in the big, black pieces c
of coal. e
Children, you remember what a L
time we had getting coal last year be-
cause OF the big strike. For while il II
looked as though we would have the Il
same old story over again this winter
Ihe wage agreements between the q
hard coal miners and the operators of NJ
tne mines came to an end on August 81
SIst. Two or three weeks before that
date the leaders of both of those el
groups met at Atlantic City and tried w
TO reach new agreement for an
other year. But the miners wanted TO
much higher wages, the employment
OF nobody but members of the miners to
union, and the collection of union
dues from the pay envelopes of the we
men every time they were paid off TO
The mine owners refused to grant
hose demands, and when August 31st on
came the miners went on strike, and thi
he mining of hard coal came to an to
md. 1t looked as thought we would all !
lave to be cold or burn soft coal, coke, mo
II oil this winter. DIV
When Mr. Coolidge took office af- 1
er the death of President Harding the
arly in August. he began tn s+udv the hol
Oal situation. President Harding had the
ppointed a coal commission which
ad been hard at work for many
lonths collecting a great deal of in
)rmation about the business. All of
nat was laid before Mr.. Coolidge and A
zplained to him by the members of min
lie commission, and he directed them Alfl
} do all they could to bring about has
sCJlement between the miners and M
lie mine owners. The commission visit
ade number of suggestions for a ip
always keeping in mind Ir
e people who buy the coal and who cons
ere already paying a high price. A fine
W days before the end of August it M
,came evident that no agreement Cliff
uld be reached without giving the Mrs.
ners more wages and adding to the they
ice of coal. The coal commission Gree
'uld not approve terms that would Char
crease the high fuel cost, so they MI
cided they could have nothing more Lestt
do with the matter. Win
1T has been decided by the Supreme aunt,
rt that the mining of coal is a Mr.
tie matter and not one in which the ed he
ional government can take action ey, n
IL state officials have done all they w.
| to keep the mines in operation. Mr.. a
en- the advice of the commission on M
1t unheeded, there was nothing left Arc
President Coolidge to do but refer at M;
dispute to Governor Pinchot of with
nSylVania in whose state all the Steel.
lracite coal is mined. Mr..
Mr. Pinchot worked out a plan of tanned
lement which gave the miners a and dt
Ter cent increase in wages, requir- ADD ]
he collection of union dues when
men are paid, and Obliged the own
to employ union men. The agree
t granted practically everything
miners had asked, except that Mrs.
were given only half as large a mornir
in pay as they demanded. After ing ill
w days delay, the agreement was ferer
pied by both the miners and the husban
9rs, and the men went back to loss. H
:, after being on strike about two near r.
S and half. Rev 7,
fter the settlement had been Church
/, Governor Pinchot wrote a let Chanel
D President Coolidge asking him The 7
e that the higher wages granted ing of Y
llners, amounting to about $780, home nj
u year, were paid by the mine A good
rs or the railroads and not added fine finn,
price of coal to be paid by the cake w,
:. Of course that is the whole October
f the question-to get plenty of of Miss
for the people without making Mr. Al
pay any more. Mr. Pinchot fail children
get the mine owners, the rail guests I.
which carry the coal to market, Iat+er's ,
retail dealers to agree to pay Everett
creased cost of production and much
IS as though the people who Beginr
he coal will have to pay from sarvices
is to dollar a ton more for it. " a+ "a
e is pleading with President "To Sor,
ge to make his settlement a T.anrs Do
ne and save the people from to taTe n
ry thing which the strike SUNDAY
ned. af+a,. e.,
course the President has no au- 'cVe sbo1i
to do anything in the matter tie. sat v
write polite letters to the mine see +bo ,,
, the railroads, the wholesale Won -
,alers, and the retail dealers
them to pay the $3O,000,OOO a CLTR
age increase in order that the
nay be saved that amount. But Fifty h
those people have to do any boma in r
the sort unless they feel like carried m
al extensi