The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-12-30

The Coal Strike and Negro WOrkers-The Tactics of
the Coal Companies
The depression in the steel industry which has brought
per of capacity has been and
is being used by the coal companies in Ohio and Pennsylvania
especially to force Negro workers into the position OF strike
breakers in the mines
Not only are jobess Negro Pittsburgh and
other cities being mines but there has been
Importation Negro workers from the south for this purpose
Negro these mines held in what is viz
final neonape according to union officials and others
made close survey conditions where
the companies the state government and the Pennsylvania
police forces have united prevent extensive knowledge OF
the peonage system becoming public
Most of the Negro who have been the dis
ct for length of time stay but few days the coal MINES
They better acquainted with laws and customs and labor con-
ons and not be ntmdated as can the Negro fresh from
the south.
But for the Negro workers just into these
there has been system which has been copied
closely from the contract labor and schemes OF the south
convict camps and farms.
plan based simple principles That the Negro
worker is allowed to receive just enough wages enable him
accumulate surplus and thereby kept IN debt
companies and second that being stranger in
<strange land believe that not for the
coal he would be torn limb from limb by the
strikers.
that companies legal hold him and that
protest will bring him in conflict with the law.
To this and there already record
where the steel trust and coal local
have found pretexts for nfcng substantial fines on
Negro who trying to leave the coal camps
No extensive figures paid these Negro workers
are available but pay checks that have
into the hands of the United Mine Workers and strike relief
that after deductions made by the for
stRg powder etc, the hazardous work IN the mines nets
low as So per day.
some of the coal camps where Negroes from the
brought the companies reverted to vicious
cce prevalent before union in the industryhe
of issuing company money in the form of brass
disks which good only at the stores.
The Negro workers paid with these tokens instead of
cash check and therefore absolutely dependent the
company
Exorbtan prices charged the and by
method wages these workers cut still
begued into the hehos that these mines have become There
thousands of white scabs but the conditions Nc
inflicted them Furthermore their situation is far
matter of their choice than that of the Negro workers.
many have from the south in
advertisements have brought their families with them
The United Mine Workers of America not one of the
that refused organize Negro workers and there
large numbers of Negro miners the union The union fight
ing life and the coal barons succeed in smashing in
the key district of Pennsylvania there will be reduction of
prevailing mines peonage established
The United Mine Workers. the important union the
labor movement not be crippled without
damage resulting all other unions and still vicious attack
wages and working conditions of the whole working
Negro and white alike.
plainly the duty of militant Negro workers every
thing possible their brothers from the horrible status to
which they have been reduced the open shop Pennsylvania and
Ohio Any work this direction will be of the greatest
value to the working class and blow at reaction in of the
basic industries.
little question that the coal barons
ing toward the creation of situation where racial prejudice and
hatred will overshadow the class issues involved.
There exists the danger Pennsylvania especially that coal
baron propaganda will place the blame for the weakness of the
their program making organization of these
so difficult that years viii eapse before this be done
Wide agitation the Negro miners in these fields should
undertaken at the earliest possible moment There will be
response those of them who know little of the
labor because of the miserable and the fghtfu
soa conditions under which they forced to work
Major General Ey Wants More INFLAMMATION of Industry