The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-07-14
W. VA, WAGE CUT
SHOWS need OF
CLOSING RANKS
Life of Miners Union
Periled by Explosions
BY THOMAS MYERscoUeH.


Shades of war have again descended
on the battle-scarred mine fields Of
West Virginia Coming Immediately
after the charter of that district has
been suspended, the announcement
of the operators that wages will be
reduced bodies bad tidings to the mem
bers of the organization in that field.
II the success Of the open shop drive
in other sections of West Virginia can
be taken as a criterion, then the Off
Gals and every member Of the United
Mine Workers of America have hard
fight to win to save the life Of the
union.
In the face of these happenings, and
much to the delight of those in charge
of the open shop drive, the officials
concern themselves only with the per-
petuity of their official lives. This
concern on the part of the miners off,
cials is manifested in every district,
where there develops an opposition to
their suicidal policies, by the revoca-
tion or suspension of district auton-
omy.
West Virginia Situation.
Let US for instance take the West
Virginia situation. The autonomy of
that district has just been suspended.
The reason given was that differences
of opinion exist. But unless the en-
tire strength Of that weakened dis
fr;of oop In v,,1No1;1ad Co., +bo hot41o
that is now gaining momentum it will
be hard to even hazard a guess about
victory. Much is said by the officials
in convention and in other public ut
terances to the effect that we must
close our ranks, but nothing is done
to bring this condition about.
They want the ranks closed, yes,
but to the exclusion of those who diff
fer with them in opinion. They seem
to think, even after many demonstra-
lions to the contrary, that, by exclud-
ing such elements, they can sail grace
fully along in their sweet, serene way.
That this cannot be done is proved
by the present condition of once pow
erful organizations that, at the insti-
cation of their ruling ofhcialdom, ex-
cluded militant members as the min
ers' organization has been attempting
to do. The apathetic condition of these
unions should serve to warn the off,
Gals of the U. M. w. of A. that moth
ing can be gained by the adoption of
a policy of that kind. Where the ex-
pDlsion of individuals has served to
dampen the enthusiasm Of others Of
like thought the result has always
been to create a condition Of docility
or indifference, with deterioration as
an Inevitable result
Need Every Miner in Fight.
This statement is written with the
thought in mind that the u. M. w. of
A. needs not only the forces it now
has, but also every man who mines
coal or works in the industry as
member and soldier in its battles
against the greedy operators. There
fore it is essential, when the ranks
are closed as they should be, that
every man eligible to membership, re-
CARELESS Of his economic or political
beliefs, should be under the banner
fighting shoulder to shoulder with his
fellow-worker, comrade and brother
against the common enemy. Let the
question of differences of opinion be
cared for by the membership, that
vast body of men who provide the
sustenance for the organization, trust
ing always to their good judgment as
to what is good and bad for them.
Only in this manner can the workers
ranks be closed for victorious fight.