Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-27

.owerleSs to stop bootlcggins Alle *H.d
that when the unions worked the
mines they had the same problem to
contend with and that nothing. ap-
parcntly. could be done to stop the
sale of the rank poison" sold to the
miners on pay day by pittsburgh har-
pies He declared that he did know
Of one case. to which the committee
referred where the mother OF eight
children was accused Of peddllng
liquor and charged with other offenSeS.
But. he said, he was taking the humani-
tartan view III not moving her, because
she and her children were i'll abject
poverty and had no other place to go.
Senator Wheeler doubted the hu-
mantarianiSm Of leaving her with her
children. and Mr.. Baker said he had
,ricd 10 have her cared for by social
agencies, and would see that she ped
died no more liquor.
Health Regulations.
Senator Wagner wanted 10 know If
there we're any health regulations
which had TO be complied with III the
bunkhouseS.
Mr. Baker said that the terms Of a
recently enacted law Of the State We're
complied with. and Senator Wagner
said it evidently was 4 very liberal lax.
It was al this point that Mr.. Baker
declared: Il wish / had known that
the examination of our property WAS
10 be conducted under the auspices Of
the United Mine Workers OF America.
l certainly would have been there
The Senators assured him that while
the union officials had been with them.
the Interrogation Of witnesses and
choice Of places TO visit had been LETT
d ia
tee Senator Wheeler added that al
though he had spent many years III
mining camps of air sorts, he had never
seen such conditions as he found
around Pittsburgh
Mr.. Baker would not agree with him.
ASKED by Senator Wheeler II 1t was not
true that UNION miners were Il better
class of men than the present workers.
MIR Baker replied Yes. / agree 10
that" He added that he was not an
anti-union man. but that he and the
coal operators we're opposed 10 the
United Mine Workers Of America; that
under the open shop they could maze
experiments with machinery. bring
about economies Of operation and &C
complish other things that could not
be done under a cioaed-shop arrange
ncnt. and that they intended to stick
TO the open shop.
Then one Of two things is going
10 happen" said Senator Goodlng
You are either going 10 have The
l. W W and other radicals leading
your men or YOU are going 10 have the
United Mine Workers o! America lead
ing them. You are aiding and abettng
these J. w. w. and other radicals
whose aim Is 10 break down orderly
government. 10 destroy our institutions
our religion. olr Wumanhood Don't
you agree TO that"
Denies !. W. ". Menace.
Il don't think the l. w w. Is a
menace 10 our industry" said Mr.
Baker and from this point there was
long discussion Of the rights Of labor
to Organiz" IN dealing with OTgani2a-
tons Of capital, the advantages obtained
b. labor aad the industrial progress
under organized labor. Senator Wheeler
maintained that labor organizations are
an advantage to civilization. but Mr.
Baker suggested that while these or
CARNATIONS may have been necessary
3 and 10 years ago. times have changed.
He repeated his assertions that ms
company had tried. Time and again. To
had worked on The closed shop princi-
pie since 1902. and had paid tie Jack
a0uWllc scale up 10 the hour Of It's
expiration He said that the bunk
huiiacS complained Of never would have
been built II it had not been for the
refusal Of union labor to work IN the
mines and i've III the comfortable
houses provided by the operators.
The committee cndcav0rcd to get
from Mr. Baker an assertion that he
regarded the jacksonville agreement As
] a t,f.. ~,
fulfilled It's terms under this agreement,
Mr. Baker declined to 90 into dis
cisaion 0f It's Interpretation, or the in
depreciation by which the Pittsburgh
, Coal Go. ceased operating It's mines
by union labor two years before the
: agreement expired Nor would Mi
Baker agree 10 Senator Wheeicr'& na-
aerii0n that nnn-unrn mrn are not
making rs much money NJ thr nnion
men He said that the non union men
are making Mt much ns $40 and Sl2 II
day, and that there l. work for them
! III tir c0nphny'a mhfh for go days
+ u the year.
Asks for Suggestions.
! He was asked by Chairman Good
ing for suggestions us to What lrglhIn
! ton Congfefb might enact ~ help the
situation ana lir replied that The
OPERATORS Ntif IftIIllE WIN tND ifHH~
unlC pioblcniH The nrst, cost ot pro-
I ductiDn, "a which The wage scale n
concerned secondly. freight rate hd
JuAtuicIt
lie indicated that II The Sherman
I antitrust law Was amended Ia permit
sales agreements. IL might help, ana
! i}''intpf Wbteiff inieIDuhcd thr slate
/ tHflIt that u ibn coal companies we're
not violating tnc Sherman law, they
Netr The only ones Who were moi DIS
cIhalDn ab 10 legislation did not pro-
/ coed ia!
! Both Mr. Baker and the vice president
ot his company. 81 T.. OSlrr. d"hci bird
/ many cases If slopufe laid rlthcr Ia
( ,itlDn hien IA tu uuiHu nympntiIiIelh,
lbry said inl many ~ III" employees Of
! tic mines have to ~ 10 ANA trum the
passing Oh Their way lie stirling pick d
cts tDti WItn"haca enumerated IN
3fuIlCts III Where these ucti were beaten,
iobbrd ana lttl iYIug ~ the nutltfh.
1lic tunphuY had tried Ia tinnhpuli
1Lfm III public vehicles, bat such was
the damage Ia the Fchiflss by uulnt,
altitclh ~ thcii ffiendh thai 10 chutIt
t.uI NntIid go INTO iiif mine district and
tu4J companies would not uiIuW ilinl
oui.a 10 chity strike breakers,
1nt company iitn provided autumn
| EJlra Wit IL we're Wtffkr0 ana damaged
| bhd tifiT occupants attacked Even
thr rulldien ~ Stoke breakers were set
| ,t4tn at4H IrAg..t lac gtuMt man and