The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-05-12
CONSPIRACY TO
CUT Mine WAGE
is DISCLOSED
Capitalists in Plot to
Break Union
BY LELAND oLps.
Federated Press Industrial Editor,

Federated Press Industrial Editor)
Coal operators believe the final
stage In the 2-year conspiracy to
starve union miners into submission
about reached. According to the Chi
cage Journal of Commerce, large coal
buyers "have been advised by the
operators to hold off buying pending
wage adjustment in the coal in
dustry Of Illinois and Indiana"
"A wage adjustment in the coal in
dustry" says the Journal, "has become
more than hope in the minds of the
operators. The state of Wisconsin has
postponed until June 2 the calling for
bids on coal in view of the anticipated
reduction in wages. Certain industrial
buyers are not in the market for the
same reason. Operators said consump-
tion was ahead of production and that
rapid bying can be expected after a
settlement of the wage question.
Birth of Conspiracy.
This shows the operators actually
encouraging stagnation in the market.
They are tightening the screws in the
conspiracy which was first exposed
by The Federated Press June 70, 1923.
The Federated Press then showed that
as far back at April 1923 E. L. Greever,
general counsel for the nonunion ope-
rator associations of West Virginia,
secured a resolution from the National
Metal Trades Assn. practically indor-
sing the suggestion that member con-
Germs buy coal only from openshop
mines.
A similar resolution was passed by
the National Assn. of Manufacturers
June 7, 1928, after an address by ex
Gov. CornweH of West Virginia. These
resolutions meant a boycott of union
mined coal r
Government Commission and Operators
Joint Move
Occasional evidences of the con-
spiracy have come to light since. Ope-
rators who signed the Jacksonville
pact, Black Diamond has admitted, ex-
pected it to force a suspension at
union mines. i
The railroads with the connivance
Of the interstate commerce commits.
sion added to the depression in union
fields by new rail construction and
rate charges enabling non-union mines
IN Kentucky and West Virginia to
drive out Illinois and Indiana coal in
the northwest.
Mellon Covers Up Tracks.
Secretary of Treasury Andrew Mel
lon and his brother don't want their
positions as political bosses in Penn
sylvania disturbed by the fight their
huge coal trust is waging against the
miners. So they have withdrawn from
active oficeholding in the Pittsburgh
Coal Co. by placing a dummy CIV. G,
Warden) in place of R. B. Mellon as
chairman of the board.
Says Black Diamond. 1.-THE reason
given is the fact that the Mellon in
terests have entered local and state
politics and are said to be in the as.
tendency. Being in politics, it is ar
gued that fight with organized labor
would not be advisable as it would
lose considerable votes"
A generation ago Andrew Carnegie
pulled the same stunt for slightly
different reason. He was a preacher
of peace and Cancellation but also a
steel baron. So when the bitter Home
stead strike doomed he retired to Eu-
rope leaving Henry Prick to do the
dirty work AS an advocate of peace
he kept his skirts clear Of the bloody
brutality that marked the suppression
of the workers.