The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-25
ANTHRACITE
BARONS DENY
CLOSED SHOP
Hudson Coal Company
Challenges Checkof
CONTINUED from page u

Continued from page u
allow union representatives on COM
pany property to transact union busi-
ness.
The United Mine Workers in the an
thracite districts are facing a fight.
One would expect that the district and
national officials would be preparing
the membership for the struggle, but
this is not the case.
Union Officials Do Nothing.
The Hudson Coal Company is al
lowed to continue company union
propaganda and to perfect its speed
up system without interference from
the union officials. Well-posted and
militant miners, alarmed by the sit
uation, told the writer that in unions
whose members are employed by the
Hudson Coal Company It is difficult to
get out more than per cent Of the
membership, even to a special meet
ing. Miners who are fighting for the
union are Disseminated against, given
the poorest and most dangerous work
ing places and find the foremen con-
tinually hostile.
A militant stand by the district and
national officials doubtless would put
a stop to these practices, temporarily
at least, but nothing is being done.
The miners are discouraged and many
of them are dangerously cynical
Failure of Union Leadership.
What is needed is campaign of
publicity and organization to strength
en- the union against the coming at.
tack, an assurance from the officials
that they will bring the full strength
Of the union to the defense of every
miner who gets In bad with the bosses
because of his union activity. But
the bulk of the miners do not believe
that the officials will make this kind
Of fight. This is the real danger Of
the whole situation-the loss of con-
fldence in the militancy and integrity
of the union leadership because of its
acceptance of union-wrecking agree
ment and their failure to rally the
membership for struggle which
every miner knows must be fought If
the union Is to be saved.
Coal Barons impatient.
The district and national officials
who put over an arbitration agree
ment after swearing by all they held
holy that it was not such thing, who
assured the miners that the anthracite
agreement was a closed shop contract,
officials like Cappelini who are sup
ported by the operators and who al
lowed Judge Maxey to run his washer
les during the strike, must now face
the cold fact that their double-dealing
has been uncovered by impatient op-
orators like the Hudson Coal Com
pany, who feel that they have waited
long enough for their agreement to
be enforced. 1t is their agreement
and not the unions.
Progressive Forces Alert.
The progressive forces opposing the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS machine
know that the union must get ready
to fight, but. as in Illinois, where after
the exposure of Frank Harrington as
a $4,000 tool of the Peabody Coal
Company, President Lewis made peace
with the corrupt harrington machine
against the progressives, so in the an
| thracite the officials make common
cause with the operators against the
militant rank and file.
The struggle against the Lewis-Ken-
nedy- Cappelini machine becomes
therefore struggle against the opera
tors, for the life Of the union and for
the defeat Of lax and corrupt official
| family.
The Hudson Coal Company demands
are danger signal which every hon
est anthracite miner recognizes, but
| 10 ,,rllich tho nninr nffininln r,a.. n. -