Evening star., 1923-08-19
FIGHT UNION EFFORT.
Bituminous Operators Make Re
port to Coal Commission.

Attorneys for the biturinous oper-
ators' special committee yesterday
submitted to, the United States Coal
commission a voluminous brief con-
demning the United Mine Workers Of
America. the check-off system and the
closed shop. The commission was in
yited to visit the non-union coal
fields Of West Virginia and satisfy
itself that conditions there were not
as bad as private investigators had
painted them.
Continued resistance would be Of
fered by the mine companies to ef-
forts of the L. NJ. w. OF A TO union
ize districts now operating non
union, the commission was informed.
The companies ARE convinced that
contracts with the organization are
in the interest neither of the operator
nor the miner. but tend TO stIfie ef-
fciency and individual initiative ana
to create a relationship based not on
mutual confidence and sense OF re
sponsibility. but on mutual hostlity.
They are convinced. says the
document, that to contract with that
organization is 10 put the economic
future of their fields which have no
local markets at the mercy Of wage
agreements dictated by international
officers of the L. VI. W. Of A. who
have a deep-rooted hostility to this
field and whole primary interests are
elsewhere.
"Wisely or unwisely. they object to
the principle of being compelled to
cmnIoy only members of that organ
ization and &c being forced TO collect
nv the check-Dff for that organization
such dues and assessments as it sees
fit to impose on each worker IN their
mines"
Review Struggles.
After reviewing the struggles be
tween employer and labor in the West
yirpinia fields since 1890, including
the great strike of 1902, the Painter and
Cabin Creek wars" the Winding Cur
conflicts Of 1917 and the march on
Mingo" with it's attendant warfare
the brief cites six reasons why the
operators purpose TO resist uhloillZd-
tion of their mines: ,
"The eight hour day is universal
among nom union miners.
The earnings Of min miners hieb in non. 1
those in union fields.
THE eatnings of non-union miners
range far in advance OF farm laporers
and other. unskilled workers
s"The miner is more nearly his own
boss ne to- whether he will work when
the mine as running, how long he Will
work and how he will work, than al
most any other class of laborers.
Housing Is Good.
'Srhe housing and living conditions
of the miners are those OF a progress
sive industrial community and COM
pare farorably with mine communl-
ties the country over In union and
nom union fields.
THE miners OF southern west
Virginia, far from being held in sub
| lection and kept from unionizing. by
force of arms, have themselves taken
up arms to resist forcible attempts
. of the United Mine Workers OF Amer
! lea to impose unionizatfon on them
and in defense of their right to work"
Twelve average communities In
the Mtngo county field" are dis
! cussed to demonstrate that living
! conditions are not as they have been
formation. 1t is told that some
| miners in Logan. Pocahontas and
Winding Gulf earned $4,000 each in
; 1921 Housewives used electric
clothes washers. irons. fans, toasters
and ranges at small cost. There
! were good water supply systems,
good schools. good churches and
good doctors, the bituminous opera
tors. special committee maintained.
THE living conditions were supe-
| rior to those found in non-company-
owned towns" was the conclusion
The operators contended further
that the miners union. after having
struggled until 1919 to invade the
West Virginia fields, had lost ground
rapidly since then. Three reasons
for the decline in union strength were
cited:
81. The arbitrary exercise of con-
| troll by the central organization OF
| the United Mine Workers 1T Indian
| apcli5 in disregard Of local economic
| needs and conditions.
40: The policy of compelling the
1 closed shop aid the collection of
| the check off.
1 fance of the authority of the gov
ernIaent Of West Virginia, which has
u "