Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-07
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Since April 1, there has been a
strike of bituminous coal miners, in
volving some 100000 men, yet the
market price of coal has not increased
one cent ton, but remains somewhat
lower than 1t was in corresponding
weeks last year. The public has
scarcely heard that strike existed,
though it has closed nearly all the
union bituminous mines of Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois and
many in other parts of the country.
West Virginia mines are mostly nom
union. hence they have continued to
work and their output has been slim
ulated by the strike among the union
mines.
The reason that the strike has
caused no furry Is that the operators
had accumulated in advance the larg-
est reserve of coal ever known, and
the country has been living on that
accumulation. The reserve has grad
ually worn away. however, and 1t Is
predicted that the public will wake up
to it's predicament in the next month
or two, when buying orders begin in
anticipation of the coming Winter.
The operators and consumers re-
serve, on April l, amounted to 75,O00,-
900 tons; in addition to that, there were
100000 tons stored on the docks of
the Great Lakes, 100000 tons stored at
the mines. 100000 tons loaded in cars
unbilled and an unknown quantity en-
route to customers.
The production since the strike has
fallen short 100000 tons week, as
compared with last year, but the
shortage within the strike region has
amounted to more than 100000 tons
a week, the difference being made up
by an increased output from other re-
gions where non-union mines occupy
the field. The Washington Gas Coal
Co. operates one mine within the
Pennsylvania strike region, employing
500 men, on a non-union basis of
wages.
The trouble arises from the COM
plant by the operators that they
cannot meet competition with the
non-union mines while paying the
wage scale adopted at the Jackson
Vile. Fla, conference in 1920, which
agreement expired March 81. 1927.
The union scale is $3.50 a day for
the miners, while the non-union mines
pay an average Of only IS a day for the
same work. The union miners, at a
conference in Toledo last February,
appointed committee to arrange a
continuance of agreement with own
ers, but provided that no reduction
in pay would be accepted. Hence,
when the operators and miners failed
to agree on a continuance Of the
Jacksonville basis. the strike began.
AS Is recognized by everybody who
knows anything about the coal stu
alton. the mining of coal Is suffer-
ing from overproduction; the mines
operate only an average of 179 days
year Many mines run much
fewer days-some as few as so days
year. Yet miners expect wages
which will enable them to support
their families without doing other
work while mines are shut down.
There appears no way to meet that
situation, for neither Federal nor
State laws can forbid q mans be-
coming miner If he so decides for
himself. There are nearly twice as
many miners as can be kept busy
he year around. The consumers
'!,erefore-the general public-must
import the oversupply of miners in
lleness on an average for all, nearly
100 days year.
4
There was a serious strike in 1919,
which was settled through Govern
nent intervention early in 1920. At
hat time there was unusual pros
,erity in all lines Of business and
he settlement based wages on that
condition in general business. The
competition of nom union mines had
not become so serious. But when
he 1920 agreement expired in 1922 the
operators refused to renew it, until,
~ the request of the United States
Coal Commission. the operators
'nally extended the 1920 scale to
1924. and at once began to build up
heir reserves in anticipation Of
1924 strike. This acceptance of the
Ugh wage scale was also made in
''opes that 1t would drive out Of the
'eld the competition of mines where
conditions Were not favorable to
economical mining, and again on
february Is. 1924. the Jacksonville
'greement was renewed to run to
March 81. 1927.
However. the agreement could not
force the mines to run at loss. so
many mines shut down, throwing
100. 900 miners out Of work. In the
face Of that depression, the market
price Of coal fell from 1920 In 1924 to
$2.04 in 1925. In non-union regions,
wages were reduced to meet the situa-
ton. but the union mines closed down. 4
to considerable extent, although |
some repudiated the scale and went |
onto non.union basis Of wage reduc-
ton. s~s..s
u - 1870 -y-F = - 3 $50