The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-04-10
WEST VIRGINIA
MINERS LOYAL
TO The UNION
But Don't Applaud the
Labor Takers


PARAMOUNT w. Va, April Sit
is rumored that John L. Lewis, inter
national president of the United Mine
Workers may come TO the strike field
in this district, according to reports
circulated at the meeting of miners
in Clarksburg. This, however, is
scofted at by some miners who say
that Lewis never gets in sight Of a
strike when he can help it, and never
stays longer than to make a speech
and take the next train.
There is still conflicting news as to
the number Of men out in the strike
area which is designated as the north
ern West Virginia field.
$4,000 Men Employed in Field.
The northern West Virginia coal
field comprises twelve counties with
principal operations in Monongalia,
Marion, Harrison and Taylor coun-
ties. Various estimates place the
number Of miners employed in the
field at from $4,000 to 10000.
Union leaders placed the total num-
Der of miners in the field at from 25,.
900 to $4,000 with the claim of $4,000
union miners. Operators representa-
tives gave an estimate Of 10000
miners in the field with claim that
$4,000 are non-union miners.
seab Scale So Below Union.
Union mines have been operating
under the Jacksonville agreement
which provides $725 for day labor.
Non.union mines have been operating
under the so-called 1917 agreement
which provides 1886 for day labor, 1t
was learned from operators sources.
1t was said that there were varia-
tons from that scale at the different
operations. The scale, it was said,
varied at the non-union operations but
that. generally it conformed to the
1917 scale.
While all union men are supposed
to be out, the operators contend that
| no more than 1880 are out in both
union and non-union mines and their
controlled sheets boast that the strike
will increase the non-union tonnage
produced and, in their words, "The
rest Of the field is expected to slow
ly turn non-union." Union represen-
tatives declare, none the less, that
SO per cent of the union men are out.
Union Loyalty Strong
However, the outpouring of masses
of miners at Morgantown, Clarksburg
and Paramount illustrates the deep
hold of unionism in the hearts of the
West Virginia miners, who surely de-
served something better than they
received from William Green, presi.
dent Of the A. F. of L., Van Bittner,
international organizer Of infamous
Kansas memory and the preacher
who opened their meetings with
prayer.
The meetings which celebrated the
twenty-seventh anniversary Of the
eight-hour day in the coal mines. were
addressed by the above leaders. and
the Morgantown stadium was packed
with thousands of the rank and file
of the union miners, their wives and
children, while parades were held
with banners flying. In one instance
the American flag was carried upside
down, which caused the patriots to
report the matter to the police.
Loyal to Union-Not to Officials
The applause given to Green and
Van Bittner was, however, rather
weak, in spite of the spirit shown by
the miners and their families, the
largest applause being given Van Bit
tner only when he said that the
United Mine Workers Union is in the
local coal region to stay. The en-
thusiasm of the miners is for the un-
ion, not for Bittner or Green.
The head of the A. F. of L., while
speaking. blithely ignored the fact
that the preamble of the U. M. w. of
A. calls for the specialization Of in.
dustry. and proceeded to contend that
organized labor is as much IL not
more loyal to capitalism than are the
coal operators. He said. in part:
Green's Bid for Class Collaboration
I'VE believe in giving the employ
ers the right to own. manage and
control their properties. We are not
the enemies Of capital or private en-
terprise because we are American Il
the core. We believe in American
business, but we demand a fair and
just consideration for organized la
Dor" Green omitted to say who ought
to set the standard Of fairness" and
"justice" or how It could be enforced
Van Bittner. in a speech fairly
SOLDERING with Flaw and order" pro
tested against the use of the horde
Of mine guards and company gunner
but gave no suggestion of how Il
stop the system which is legalized by
the control over sherlffs and all other
| law and authority by the coal com