The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-09-18
Ohio Miners
DISPLAY GRIM
DETERMINATION
$3.50 a Day or Nothing,
Is Slogan

ing conditions is the second Of
comprehensive series by various
labor writer's released by The Fed
Grated Press In the next few weeks,
DEALING with the actual situation in
the various districts Of the United
Mine Workers. Frank Farrington's
selI-out in Illinois, the many Lewis
betrayals, the openshop inroads In
other bituminous districts and the
uncertainty as to what Is to follow
the expiration of the 3-year Jackson
Vile agreement In April, 1927 make
the series both timely and important.
by HARVEY o'coNNoR, Fed. Press.
BELLAIRE, O.-(FP)-"$7.5o day
or nothing" That summarizes the
bulldog determination of $1,000 union
miners In the BeIlaire subdlstrict OF
the Ohio Miners Union. Known as
Sub-Dlstrict of District 8, they are
by far the strongest unit In the state,
and comparatively better off than
their brothers in Hooking valley. 5000
are working.
"Why should a miner work in the
damp dark of deep mine, surrounded
by the dangers of rock falls and ex-
plosions, for less than $3.50 a day,
the Jacksonville scale?" they ask.
wen quit mining before we'll throw
away the union and its protection"
Low Wages Nearby.
There's another good reason why
the miners won't quit their union.
That is West Virginia. Just across
the Ohio river, at Wheeling, Warwood,
Wellsburg, Moundsville and Benwood,
score of big West Virginia mines
are operating at wages varying from
81 to Sc a day.
! The silvery line of the river, cleav-
ing union Ohio from nonunion West
Virginia, is the trench between war
ring forces in the biggest battle being
waged on the American continent for
| industrial freedom. Mine owners,
with heavy interests on both sides Of
the river, are anxiously awaiting the
day when they can bring Ohio men
down to the low wage levels and work
ing conditions suffered by the serfs
across the river.
Many Left Mines.
Many of the 5000 union miners who
have been unable to get work at the
pits have found employment in the
steel mills Of Bellaire, Wheeling and
Benwood and in other industries in
this thickly populated section Of the
Ohio valley.
Tension has also been relieved by
the recent opening of several big
mines on the Jacksonville scale. The
| Powhatan mine, employing 500 men,
is operating steadily for the Canadian
Pacific railway, while several big Ma
her mines supplying the Canadian Ma
tional railway are giving work to
/ 1900 miners. The Rail & River Com
pany's mines, whose management has
been distinctly antagonistic to the
union, are down. New Pittsburgh
| Coal Co., leader of the bitter forces
| among the operators, and notorious
for nonunion operations in Pomeroy
Bend, Ohio, and in West Virginia,
posted notice of reopening under the
1917 scale, but not a man responded.
Youghiogheny & Ohio whose presi-
| dent S. H. Robbins, heads the new
! Ohio Coal Operators Assn, organized
to beat down the Ohio Miners union,
has tried nonunion conditions, but to
no avail
Destitution Threatens.
| Many miners in the score of camps
around Bellaire own their homes.
With vegetables and fruits in their
back yards, they do not experience
keen privation in summer months,
even If unable to find work in the
steel mills. When winter comes a
different picture will present itself.
and should the steel industry expe-
rience a slump restitution aplenty will
dog the little homes Of thousands of
the coal diggers.
| The lucky miner who happens TO be
working is knocking out about 500 a
month, of which about so goes into
various union funds for dues and re-
lief. This average, however, Jumps
the men who are working 6 days a
week and those working but l. Thou
sands are receiving not more than $50
a month, while at least 1900 In this
| vicinity have no work Of any kind.
When Contracts Expire.
The subdistrict is buoyed up by long
contracts with the Canadian railroads.
but when they run out and are shifted
to West Virginia-as may happen
Bellaire's plight may become as bad
as Hooking valleys.
These miners have given gener-
ously to Russian famine relief, to the
Passaic strikers, TO the British miners.
When the present British coal lockout
is settled and the demand for Ameri.
can coal lulls. they may find them
selves lighting with their backs to the
wall against the sinister hand OF non
unionism, watchfully waiting to leap
over from the West Virginia side OF
the Ohio river to extend industrial
feudalism. Then they will need the