The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-29
MINE BOSSES
FAIL IN plan
TO CUT WAGES
Miners Absent From
Herrin Meeting
BY TOM TIPPETT
(By The Federated Press)

ne CleVerty Idlu plans OF Lne
Illinois coal operators to bring
consideration of a wage reduce
ton before the Illinois mine
workers failed insofar as the
public meeting arranged by
them to discuss that question in
Herrin on Aug. 20 is concerned.
The purpose of the meeting
fell fiat when the mine workers
officially refused to participate
in the gathering. The opera
tors were there in full force as
were representatives of the rail-
roads, public service corpora
tons, corporation lawyers and
others who feel a pinch in their
pocketbooks because of the UNI
precedented unemployment in
the mining industry in Illinois.
All for Wage Cut.
Every speaker openly advocated or
implied that the coaldiggers must take
a cut in wages to remedy "deplor-
able situation" 1t was made plain
that neither the operators, railroads
nor public service companies could be
expected to lower their own profits.
The miners alone must stand the cut.
The August Goth meeting is the
aftermath of an excursion from south.
ern Illinois into the non-union fields
of Kentucky few weeks ago. This
trip was ostensibly organized by the
Lions Club, a business mems organ
ization at Herrin. Mineworkers, bust.
ness men and operators made up the
party. Glowing accounts Of flourish
ing business in the neighboring scab
fields were released when the excur-
sion returned Then came the meet
ing referred to above. Mineworkers
who at first agreed to participate in
the round table discussion were led to
believe that a reuction in freight rates
would be considered as one way to OBJ
tain cheaper coal to compete with the
non-union product mined across the
Ketucky line. They refused to take
part in the meeting when they learned
that wage reductions would be dis
cussed.
Wants to Bust Union.
DR.. F. c. Honnald, of Chicago, presi-
dent Of the Franklin-williams Coal
Operators association, was the chief
spokesman for the operators. His
speech was rather to inspire others to
demand a wage reduction than to do
so himself He called the miners I'M
ion failure and said that some other
machinery would have to be created
to handle the present problem. He
was quick to add that he did not wish
to destroy the miners union and then
he called upon the rank and file in
the miners organization to force their
officers to save them from economic
ruin. They weren't going to break the
contract, he said, and then reminded
the miners that the two increases in
pay had been forced by them between
contract periods. (This was during the
war and right after when the miners
were VIGOROUSLY underpaid) Honn-
aid did his stuff" poorly.
Let's Cat Out Of Bag.
Following speakers let the cat out
of the bag by openly declaring with
emphasis that the miners must take
a wage cut. Herbert Taylor, head of
the Taylor coal company in southern
Illinois, said the coaldiggers must take
wage reduction or the mines would
remain closed. Walter Williams, Ben
ton, ILL.,, corporation lawyer, was in
vited by the chairman, County Judge
A. w. Morgan, vice president of the
Herrin Lions Club, to address the as
sembly. Williams made the key note
speech. II was for a reduction in
miners pay. He drew graphic pic
ture of the situation with non-union
Kentucky only 4S miles away. Thk
whole remedy he declared, was a
lowering Of the miners wages. VIII.
liams is an ex-coal operator. He failed
to meet payroll at his mine in 1914,
according to Benton coalminers. and
his mine was closed. The "deplorable
situation" that he stressed here was
not factor then.
Representatives of the Burlington
and Illinois Central railroads were
present and notified the gathering
that their freight rates could not be
lowered. They "unloaded" to the In
terstate Commerce Commission.
In Interest Of Public Service.
The Central Illinois Public Service
company was represented by the vice
president, j. p. Clayton. He made the
most of the meeting to advertise the
virtues Of his company and to also
notify 1t that the price OF power his