The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-28
Complete Statement of
Nova Scotia Miners

To the Delegates Of the Interna-
tional Convention.
The undersigned delegates, repre-
senting the Locals in District &c, hav-
ing been denied the privilege of max
ing reply on the floors of the Con-
vention to the statement of President
Lewis pertaining to matters in Dis
trict 26, are forced to take this
means of stating our side of this
question before our Brother Dele
gates, and strongly appeal to their
sense of fairness; we ask each other
to give this statement his careful con-
sideration.
At January LIST, 1922, when the
Operators put into effect a wage re-
duction of 37%6, the officers of Dis
trict 26, were President Robert Bax-
ter; Vice-President w. P. Delaney:
Secretary-Treasurer J. B. McLach-
Ian; international Board Member,
Dan Livingston. This Executive
Board of District &c, made appliea-
ton for an injunction restraining the
operators under the Industrial Dis
putes Act from putting any reduction
of wage into effect.
Challenge Lewis
This application was granted and
the operators were restrained from
putting this reduction into effect.
The Supreme Court, however, set
aside this injunction and the re-
duetion of wages went into effect.
Il
President to produce any evidence
that he advised the District rs
officers to come on strike at that
time or made any offer of support
to the Miners of District &c.
Miners Rejected Reduction
Notwithstanding President Lewis
sneering remarks in his speech that
his only regret was that he had not
ordered strike in January 1922, we
wish to point out that the Canadian
law absolutely prohibits under severe
penalties any labor organization from
calling a strike without first having
the dispute submitted to a concilia-
ton board. The Executive Board,
therefore, Immediately applied for a
Board Of Cancellation, which was
granted. This Board, known as the
Gillen Board, investigated the matter
Of wages, and handed down an award
providing for a minimum rate of
$2.s5 instead of $2.44 as posted up
oy the operators, and providing a
contract wage with 1920 reduction
instead Of 37To as posted up by the
company. The miners in Nova
Scotia, Indignantly rejected this
award and this brought on a special
district convention at Truro. Nova
Scotia In February 1922, and at this
special convention, John P. White
was present as the international Rep
resentative.
Extract From Minutes
We now quote from the minutes Of
this special district convention:
President Baxter stated that we
were confronted with the big oues-
ton of wages. desire to deal with
the wage situation as we are face to
face with it at present. The whole
question resolves itself into one of
force. Force is the thing we have
to rely upon at this time. I have
Just returned from the international
Convention and from an interview
with President Lewis and l desire to
place before this convention the
amount Of force at our disposal.
"The President continuing, stated
that when President Lewis was asked
the amount available for District 26.
if I'VE had strike, stated that we
only get our share, equal to the
amount given to other districts.
Secretary fixed the amount at SiO-
600 per week, and after April LIST
Secretary Green had stated there
would be none at all. international
Board Member Livingston stated that
he desired to concur With the state
ment Of President Baxter but the
amount of $4,000 was a lump sum
that would be given US and may have
to be spread over week or a month.
Barrett Also Present
Delegate Barrett stated that he
was present at the intar1y;ax, ,,,;4l,