The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-21
UNEMPLOYMENT AND KHAN ISSUES

LHeIe was Il famous IlOl at blIlke
twenty-six years ago when several
men were killed"
Keeping the Wolves Away.
asked this miner what he would
do if the unemployment keeps on
much longer, now that the stores have
refused further credit. IF we can't
work days Wen have to work nights, -
he replied grimly. 81 have gun at
home and if the operators don't give
me chance to keep the wolf from the
door by working, guess l can do it
with the gun"
An incident at the Virden traction
station revealed the real sentiment
of most of the miners toward the
Khan. The local car to Girard was
waiting at the switch for the north
bound Springfield car. A plump,
ruddy-faced miner, splitting tobacco
juice copiously. came out of the sta
ton and went over to a detected
Negro. He handed him a ticket to
Girard.
Miners Not Pro-klan.
went over to him and asked,
Are you taking this fellow to the
Khan picnic?" Eyes, by God" ne
answered. 81 say everybody has the
right to enjoy himself. l believe in
free speech and equality for every
body, and I'd just like to see those -
try to touch him"
My car came along and l had no
further time to get the mans name.
l was told the Negro had been fined
one hundred dollars by the magistrate
of the town-a Kluxer-foT drunken.
ness" and because he had no money
was working around the town cleaning
streets to pay off his fine. He had to
work one hundred days to pay it off
altho it is common thing for a white
man to go on Saturday night spree
and nothing is said.
looked in the Springfield papers
this morning for news of a riot in
Girard or headlines saying, "Beastly
Negro, assaulting white girl at Khan
picnic, lynched by mob" But there
was no. riot reported, so my tobacco
chewing friend must have "gotter
away" with his little equality expedi
tiqp
Farrington-Mine Barons' Chorus.
The following letter is significant
because it shows the results of Frank
Farrington's declaration that the only
remedy for unemployment in the Hi.
nois mine fields is the speeding up Of
production by the Illinois miners. Il
it noticeable that harrington and the
coal operators sing an identical tune
The letter. given the DAILY WORK,
Err by the miner who received it, fol
lows:
Mr.. John Serena, OK. No. 62,
Sangamon Coal Co.,
Springfield, Illinois.
Dear Sir-In standing on the
screen on Tuesday, August 5, l
caught a car of coal under your
check number that contained a very
small per cent Of lump coal. The
percentage of lump in this particu-
lar car was so small that the COM
pany cannot realize out Of the car
Of coal the amount of money it cost
to hoist it 10 the top.
You no doubt know that screenings
and egg coal have to be sold at a
loss to the operator. (This is a
lie.) This means that if you shoot
your coal all to pieces the operator
cannot continue to operate. We are
trying to help you, and il you ex-
pect us to help you, you have to help
us by loading good coal. We want
to employ you as much az you want
to be employed, but you have to
help yourself as well as the COM
pany by giving us a grade of coal
that we can sell. In other words,
whether or not this mine operates
depends on you as much as on any
one else, and you are not fair to
yourself and the other employees of
this company by loading the grade
of coal that you are putting over
the screen.
The mine manager and face boss
are willing to help you at any time.
If you do not know how to place
your shots to get the best results,
ask them and they will help you.
Think this over and make up
your mind that you will be better off
in the end by giving more attention
to the grade Of coal that you are
loading.
Very truly yours,
SANGAMON COAL CO.,
(Signed) r. ]. Wilcoxson,