The daily worker., 1925-12-17
Continued nom page u

of attacks by Ellis Searles in the OIL
cial Mine Workers Journal.
In the interim since the Cleveland
convention the officialdom of the
United Mine Workers of America has
executed a strategic retreat from the
progressive program at Cleveland and
they now stand pledged, by the ac-
ceptance of the "Pinchot plan" to a
policy of class collaboration, which,
If carried out in its entirety, will
wreck the miners union, and make
of it nothing more nor less than
company union, patterned something
after the company union on the Phil
adelphia Rapid Transit company lines,
as suggested by the Wilkes-Barre
Telegram on December 13, 1925.
What has come of the hard coal
miners demands, as put forward at
the Tri-District convention last June?
In the Pinchot plan every demand
put forward is forgotten except one,
the partial check-off is granted, which
( means a revenue of over one million
dollars per year to the International
Office in Indianapolis. This is all the
miners obtain by this wonderful Har-
risburg settlement with its conces-
sions to the operators concessions to
the public" concessions everywhere,
but nothing for the striking miners.
Put Up No Fight.
The scale committee, so far as can
be gathered from press reports, never
even made a fight for the Scranton
demands, but swallowed the Pinchot
plan practically in its entirety, which
gives the operators that which they
would hardly have dared to ask for
three months ago:
A five-year contract. A no-strike
agreement, and, arbitration Of the
miners demands.
In this settlement" if it is ratified,
the miners surrender the right TO
strike, the right for which organized
labor in America has fought its bitter
est and bloodiest battles, this prin-
ciple which even Samuel Gompers
would always defend to the limit,
ultra-reactionary as he was. The sur
render of this principle, one of the
cornerstones of the labor movement,
is the net result of the miners strike
to date.
Another accomplishment of the
wonderful settlement" is the sep
aration, for all practical purposes, Of
the hard coal and the soft coal min
ers. When the 1922 strike was called
all miners quit work together. BY
some wonderful manipulation of
"Lewisan" policy, they returned to
work with contracts, which expired
at different periods Ito say nothing
of the strikers in the Connellsville
coke region who were left without
any agreement at ALL. The result of
this policy is, that while the hard
coal miners strike, the soft coal min
ers continue to work, and by the
Pinchot plan this policy is TO be con-
tinued for at least five more years.
Operators Want Separate" Union.
The operators press is carrying on
subtle propaganda, for che creation
Of separate union" in the anthra-
cite, and this vicious anti-union posi-
ton is strengthened Wy the fact that
these two sections. of the union, are
dealt with as two separate entities
when contracts are made.
WIN the miners in convention rati-
fy the "Pinchot plan? At the pres.
ent time, 1t appears as tho they will.
During the 100 days vacation" the
Lewis machine, In collaboration with
the state and local authorities have
done everything in their power to
stifle any expression OF the union
membership and TO silence all cri.
ticism of their activities, no matter
how sincere or constructive 1t might
be.
Attack Progressives.
Commencing with the breaking up
Of the progressive miners meetings
in many towns, eliminating in the
arrests Of Toohey, Valentine, Reid,
aud ZawoL 4s. q e..o 49,. -.