Evening star., 1928-03-26
COAL OWNER BACKS
". VIRGINIA WAGE
Claims Men Earned 27 Per
Cent More Money on "0pen
Shop Arrangement.

BY the Associated Press.
A statistical defense Of the abandon
ment Of union operation by the Con-
solidation Coal Co. Of West Virginia
was given to the Senate COMMITTEES in
vestigating the bituminous industry to-
day by George Anderson. executive vice
president.
Testifying last week. John D. Rocke-
feller ir.. stockhoIder In the Consoli-
dation company. suggested that Ander-
| son be allowed to answer for details Of
the concerns labor policy. He read
statistics OF operations for 1924 and
1927. explaining that the mines we're
on a union basis in 1924 and ON "open
| shop" basis In 1927. The comparative
| statistics for these two years indicated
increases for 1927 as follows:
Men working per day, 31s, or III
per cent.
Increased annual earnings per man.
1922. or 81 per cent.
Pay roll decrease. si,s13,O00. or 80
per cent.
Increased production. 2.233.OoO. or
861a per cent
Increase in days worked per man,
l25. or 05 per cent"
Long War"
Turning to the struggle between the
United Mine Workers and the operators.
Anderson characterized 1t as industrial
war"
1T Is a war, not a battle" he went
on, "and has already been going on
twice as long as the World War"
The operator referred to the member-
ship OF the miners union as $4,000
men constantly In the field as stand
ing army" adding that ION the operat-
ors slde, however, We have an un-
organized mob"
He disavowed any bitterness toward
unionisn1 as such, while at the same
time blaming much Of the distress in
the SOFT coal industry upon the stand
taken by the union for maintenance Of
the mystic $3.50 day wage" after
postwar readjustment.
| Anderson referred to the "union
| army" as composed Of well Disciplined
conscripts." He described John I.
Lewis, president OF the United Mine
Morkers. as . great general and two
nsted fighting man."
But this army doesn't believe In
compulsory arbitration" he continued.
and what else Is avaiIable?"
Tne operator quoted the late Presi-
cent Harding as saying that the
country was at the mercy Of the United
Mine workers except for coal from the
non-union fields
Anderson then traced the history Of
the jacksonville and Baltimore waee
conferences Of 1924 and 1875, declaring
.ne northern West Virginia territory
had not been represented at the first
conference and saying that the west
virginia-Pennsyivania operators were
told 70 accept the $50 basic ware
scale obtained at Jacksonville or Moth
ing at the Baltimore meeting.
Refused to ArbItrate."
They refused 10 arbitrate." be added.
Anderson asserted that the fieht on
the Baltimore agreement had been hard
and close among the Operator. exnIsir-
ing that 1t had been ratified by the oD-
orators meeting &C Fairmunt, w. Va.
oy an l8-to-l4 vote. some operators
witndrew nom the organization 20 op-
crate on o rol-union basis. he said.
Within 80 days" the operator con-
tinued. '.the cfacers Of the union Ia that
vicinity were al changed. In an effort
to save the wreckage Of the union
Frorn that hour the acts Of the duly
workers In northern West Virginia had
no more 10 do with the wishes az the
rank and file Of the men than with
mine" he added.
Senator Fess. Republican. Ohio,
asked Anderson for his ideas concern
ing solution for the soft coal prob
lem. but the witness said he could ad-
vance none. He expressed the opinion
that the operators and miners alike
opposed the creation Of Q coal ccmmis-
sion.
Denies Breaking Pact.
Senator Wagner. Democrat. New
York. inquired whether the Consolida-
ton Coal Co. considered that lt had
broken the Baltimore agreement when
i abandoned the wage scale 1t spect-
ned.
I'VE certainly did not" said Ander-
son. arguing that the agreement did not
remain binding when the conditions
under which &c had been arrived at
were altered.
While President Lewis today reiser-
ated his refusal 10 disclose the purpose
In calling ofiicers Of District No. cf
his organization here for q meeting to-
night. other union ofieers said that the
general aspects Of the PENNSYLVANIA sit
uation. especially In the vicinity OF
pittston. Pa. would occupy the con-
ference.
They deprecated reports that II d cf
extreme significance.