The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-10-13
UNION WEAK
IN PA. SOFT
COAL FIELD
Only Hope a National
Strike Movement
BY ART SHIELDS,
Federated Press,

ALTOONA, Pa, Oct. 4-(FP)-More
than half it's former members have
been swept out Of the minefs' union
in the great soft coal fields Of PennsyI-
Vanla by the openshop tide Of the last
years.
Six desperate months must pass be-
fore the 3-year jacksonville agreement
expires and the union Ia free to neaotl-
ate another national pact or to use the
weapon OF a national strike to re-
cover It's losses. TIL then II must
depend on local strikes. Local strikes
are fralI protection In an override
veIoped Industry that can easily cup
ply the market with only half the
mines In operation.
Local Strikes not Enough.
The Allegheny mountains that hide
the coal Of central Pennsylvania-Dis
2, U. M. w. A.-and the broad river
valleys that oVeTlie the seams Of the
western Pennsylvania, or Pittsburgh,
district 90 are spotted with these
local strikes. The local unionists that
are left carry bravely on. But they
know that their salvation lies in a
national movement that will swing the
great West Virginia fields back into
the fold.
Unlonizlns West Virginia the Key.
The fate of the Pennsylvania miners
is inseparably wrapped with that of
their West Virginia brothers. The
breaking Of the unions hold in the
border state has let loose a food of
cheap scab coal into the northern mar
kets on which the Pennsylvania men
depended. The two states together
produce about half the total bitumin-
Gus production of the nation. Former
ly Pennsylvania had the major por-
ton but last year West Virginia, with
its more than 500 wage differential,
nosed it out.
The men of the four counties were
left out Of the settlement in 1922.
Soon after the union membership fell
to its former proportions. But with
the rest of the state still unionized
the United Mine Workers were still
highly formidable institution.
jacksonville Pact no Security.
Then came the Jacksonville agree
ment, going into effect April /, 1924.
and promising to give these older
fields security for the next three
years. Yet-such is the irony of
events-the great losses have taken
place since this peace treaty was
signed
Jacksonville agreement was, in the
language of wartime diplomacy,
scrap of paper as far as some large
operators were concerned. They sign
ed it to avoid a national strike in 1924,
knowing that the operator who broke
the contract would be faced only with
local strikes. AS long as any operator
kept the agreement complete tieup
of the industry would not be attempt
ed.
The Starvation Cure.
In 1924 great shutdowns began. Men
were being starved by the prospective
contract-breakers the Pittsburgh Coal
w., o0Iulcuclu NuAucb kOIpsy DuHdAOS
Rochester & Pittsburgh r. r. group
and others. After months on the
meager relief that district organiEa-
tions could furnish, men were offered
scab work at the 1917 scale. 800
cut. To their honor few accepted.
Strikes we're fought fercely against
gunner, imported strikebreakers, and
all the paraphernalia Of the openshop
plan.
Furnishing "5Iack" Coal Heipl
This summer 1t seemed that things
were cracking. Now comes the British
coal demand. Some mines have re-
opened on the union scale. The union
has slight breathing spell.
But a desperate winter of fighting
and waiting is near. The miners need
all that the rest of the labor move
ment can give them to maintain what
is left OF their union till next April
when the chance may come Of re-
covering the rest.
(Later Pennsylvania stories will
deal with Dist. 2, Dist. and the non
union SomersetFayette fields)