The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-17
CONTINUED From Page ~

years, said: when the coal company
does not pay the men it violates the
contract, and the operators associa-
ton itself should be called on to pay
When the pay roll is jumped after a
man works every day for a month
it is a deliberate steal When a mine
is running on part time, the men are
generally paid"
Tumuty Challenges Harrington.
Delegate Joe Tumulty of Springfield
suggested to Harrington, when the
president admitted his helplessness,
that, previous to the drawing up of
any wage scale, he call district con-
vention and let the delegates give
him instructions so he would not be
so helpless in the future. Let the
miners and not the district officials
decide on what they want"
Harrington asked Tumulty why he
didn't present a resolution to that
effect. "Will you consider such res
olution if / present it in the morn
ing?" asked Tumulty
mo" replied harrington. TITS too
late" The delegates roared with
laughter at Farringtons expense.
Altho the resolution was referred
to the scale committee, because the
miners saw the hopelessness Of fore
ing action from Harrington, the de-
bate brought out clearly how weak
the mine union officials have been in
representing the men, and what poor
contracts they have been making on
behalf of the men.
Trouble All over state.
The discussion brought out that the
miners all over the state are having
difficulty in collecting compensation
due, and that the mine officials have
been extremely lax in looking out for
the interests of the men. "The oper-
ators refused to agree to clause in
the last contract that the pay roll be
/ bonded, and the mine workers aban-
doned their position" harrington ad-
mitted. Don't get the idea l sympa-
thize with the coal operators.
don't, but the district board did every
thing that could be done. Some of
the delegates fear this condition will
get worse. So do l. But have done
all could"
Weak Point in Contract.
It was further brought out that sew
eral hundred resolutions were brought
before the last international conven-
ton bearing on this very question,
and yet the officials blocked definite
action on it. Another weak point
which Harrington was forced to
try to explain was the clause
in the last contract with the
Illinois mine operators that
"The right to hire and discharge
employees is vested exclusively with
/ the operators. ~---Y--. -'--r
"The representatives of the mine
workers agreed to this" was Far
rington's weak defense" Thinking
that the contract meant the operators
would not employ any but members
of the United Mine Workers. But
the operators refused to agree to this
and insisted on their right to hire
men outside the union, whom we were
then forced to take into the union as
new members"
A delegate pointed out that John
L. Lewis in a recent issue Of the
United Mine Workers Journal, in an
article which bears his signature,
stated that the operators had right
to hire whom they pleased and the
union was forced to admit them as
members.
Letting Bosses Pick Members.
Harrington admitted that under this
part of the contract, many local I'M
ions have been forced to admit bosses
and relatives of mine owners into the
union.
Another rap was taken at Earring
toms visionary scheme for solving the
unemployment problem by electrify-
ing the state of Illinois when Free
man Thompson declared that en-
crease in identification and the use
Of gas and oil are eating into the en-
ployment of the miners. Over forty
thousand miners are now out of work
in the state of Illinois. We should
do away with visionary schemes. and
the attempt to divide us with quib-
bling, and unite to- fight the COM
mon enemy-the employing classes"
Thompson also made plea for more
] action in organizing the non-union
mine fields.
Modify Russian Resolution.
In its original form the resolution
favoring recognition Of Soviet Russia
stated, Whereas Soviet Russia has
the only workers government in the
world today, be it therefore resolved
that we go on record for the uncondi-
ton recognition Of Soviet Russia"
This resolution had been adopted by
local unions number 27O5, S47S, 1907,
2513, SIT.
The resolutions committee reported
on this resolution, I'VE non-concur in
unconditional recognition OF Soviet
Russia, but we do believe that every
people should have the unhampered
right Of self-government. We favor