New Britain herald., 1925-12-08
JUNK AND BUNK
 OPERATORS POLICY
John E. ESan Of C. F, Of L. Says
 Public Is Being Cheated
DEFENDS UNION MINERS
Declares Strike Will Continue Until Owners Dispose Of Refuse Which Is Being sold as Substitutes -- Laughs at Trumbull.

Laughs at Irumbull.
 The present coal strike In Penn sylvania will end when the mine operators get rid of the junk that they are banning off on the public undcr the name of coal substitutes" |" stated John F, Egan, secretary of the Connecticut Federation of La bor, in a spirited and heated talk at a meeting last night of the Cen iral Labor Union of this city. Mir. Egan placed blame for the strike in the camp of the mine operators, claiming that inc miners have been ready 10 arbitrate for some time past.
 Smiles at Trumbulrs Policy
 T smiled when ] learned that Governor John Trumbull of the state Of Connecticut recommended the purchase of substitutes" he said, and it recalled to my mind the days of 1918 when q similar strike was in progress and his brother and l were both trying 10 get coal in Bridgeport. And I re- mcmbcred the condemnation which his brother heapcd on the dealers at that time, for selling substitutes. Governor Trumbull must be in full knowledge of the fact that four out Of five of the substitutes are pro- duced by the hard coal operators!"
 There are two men for every lob in the coal fields, stated the speak CT, who has been in personal touch with John l.. Lewis, head of the striking miners. This situation has been brought about by the opera. :. tors who do not want long term agreements. He said that they have turned down every measure to arbi- tratc so far presented, measures which would insure peace for four years without any increase in wages for the miners The opera tors must realize that wages will not decrease, he said, so WI haven't they come to an agree, ment? ,
 Objects Of Operators
 They haven't come to an asi te- mcnt for the two following reasons: They wish 10 put the coal substi. tut es on the market &nd get rid oi this junk at higher prices, and they wish 10 destroy the mine union.' he added. If not for the latter reason, why didn't they como to an agreement with John L. Lewis in 1924? Why didn't they sign an agrcCment?"
 Secretary Egan defended the min. CTS, saying that they are just in their demands, He then went on to say that 1t has been impossible to place in the newspapers a single item fav- orable to the miners. All that is published favors the operators, he insisted. "I have supplied the news papers of Connecticut with facts re- that situation,' he said. q have given the Associated Press facts regarding the situation. But nothing has appeared. And why |? Because the coal operators are spending large sums of money fin their publicity departments, seeing to it that their side of the situation is presented. and their side only"
 Says Miners Pay Is Low
 Mir. Egap derided those who claim that the miners are getting big money, branding the reports as ialsehOods. The wages for the min CTS average little better than $I.- 800 a year, he said, and 70 per cent ot the miners employed in Penn SylNana receive no more than S5.9G a day. There is no occupation where the dangers are so great, he stated, pointing out that each miner loses on an average of 95 days each year by accident And the death rate is alarming, he said, declaring that the total would have reached GOO this year If the miners had not walked ont, And still" he said, people say that the demands of the miners are unjust"
 People ask when the coal strike will end" he said. Well, I'll fell YOU when 1t will end and that won't he when the operators defeat tho strikers, for the simple reason that they won't defeat the strikers. And I'll tell you why. In Pennsylvania a man can't work in the mines un- less he is licensed and go per cent of those licensed men arc members of the labor organization. The strike will end when the operators get rid Of the junk coal" Mir. Egan de- scrihed the accumulation of this junk coal and stated that it must he disposed of in some way, so fl is banned off on a gullihle public.
 "The coal operators can end inc strike tomorrow and they won't have 10 increase the price, they can give fair wages and still make n good profit" he stated. He went on 10 say that so per cent of the coal production Is controlled by six rail roads,
 Calls "Indcpcndcnts" Bunk
 This talk about independents is bunk" he said. claiming that the in- dependcnt coal operator is a cam ouilage and that he has no coal at all, but secures it from the other op- orators for a higher price and then sells if 10 the dealers for corrc- spondingly high figure. IL would hr better if all the coal were controlled hy inc regular operators, instead nf having 20 per cent in the hands of the Independents, he asserted.
 "The operators can create a scar city by bringing about a strike and that is what they have done. Thai hunk that tba ef ri1s ore ore ;D Ipa emo