The daily worker., 1925-02-12
Article II.

Article II.
And Finally Fact (E) "The rapid
growth Of output of mlnes:"
About twelve years ago there was
only one 1000 ton a day mine in Illi-
nois, and it was located at Living
ston, Illinois, but today we see mines
hoisting every day for months per-
iod, over 1000 tons per day. At Zeig-
Ter during the month Of October, 1924,
a monthly production of 189,240 tons
were mined, making daily average
of zoos tons. And often we are ad-
vised of records being smashed in our
own immediate vicinity, just recently
the Peabody mines reported breaking
previous hoist records of coal. And
records that have been made will
be broken in the future by mines that
have not as yet been fully developed,
as there are mines now under the
course of development that intend to
hoist between 10000 and $4,000 tons
per day.
So you see that we will not need
so many mines as we have now when
these mines are fully developed if we
maintain or allow them the right of
an S-hour hoist day.
Coal Surplus
Another interesting factor of why
the mines are not working full time
now is the amount of coal, surplus
coal that is on top, the last figuers we
have is taken from report Of the
National Association of Purchasing
Agents, and that report shows that on
November 1, 1924, there was a66 days
supply on top or about 77,75406S tons.
This amount they claim is stored by
industrial users in the United States
and Canada, that amount is approxim-
ately one year production of all the
mines in Illinois. In fact it is more
than we produced the last coal year
as reports show that 73,30S,655 tons
were mined the last coal year.
No doubt that the surplus amount
of coal now stored on top is greater
than it was on November 1, 1924.
Gigantic Problem
All of the above information has
been given to show the gigantic prob
lem the mine workers are confronted
with. And the mine workers problem
is the same problem that many other
workers in other crafts are now facing
and the facts are now developed that
the workers in this age can supply
in abundance all the commodities and
necessities that goes to make human
progress, In less than four hours a
day.
Many of our mine workers, like
workers in the steel and textile and
clothing industries, have been idle for
months, unable to find a master to
work. Many who are lucky enough
to find job also finds the mines so
crowded that his wages are less than
the so-called war time wages" and
come near the 'pre-war time wages. "
The Perennial Question.
What is the solution to it? That
is being asked on every hand with few
coming out with permanent solu-
tion. After reviewing all the things
quoted above, If we keep on in the
same rut that we are in now with
half of our membership unemployed,
with the other half eking out a bare
existance that are employed, and as
machinery develops, less and less
workers employed, what must the
workers do, those who are willing to
work and cannot find it, and those en-
ployed who cannot make decent liv.
ing?
Left Wing Answers
The answer as we see 1t is, first to
demand and secure a shorter work
day so that we may take care of, even
If be in paltry way, those workers
who are out of work, secondly demand
the social ownership of the industries
from which our lives depend and man
aged by those who toll in them SO
that goods that are produced in com.
mon may be used in common by those
who have produced the same.
This must come about eventually
because every thinking man and wo
man knows that less and less work
ers can be used in industry from now
on, and the time is coming when there
will be so many unemployed that they
will be forced to act whether they
want TO or not. Necessity will force
them TO do 1t.
"eurplusv Of Workers.
You may say that there are toe
many miners and too many mines
that there are too many farmers and
too many farms. that there are too
many shoe and clothing workers and
factories, that there are too many
workers In industry today, but II that