The daily worker., 1929-01-05
AnthrQclte Labor S. 1.
Coming battle-ground Bait

thracitc region should be examined
a bit.
Even though the miners have
again been defeated, this by no
means signifies a victory for the
anthracite companies, for the miners
viii slowly go about building their
defense for another big struggle in
the near future. The basic reason
Of the recurring defeats of the an
thracite miners, in practically all of
their struggles in the past 20 years
and longer, is that the miners have
been cursed with a string of takers,
charlatans, and coal company agents
as 'leaders", who, at the critical
moment betray the miners to the
companies. This condition has char
acterized the struggles of the an
thracite miners for years and years.
Concentrated Industry
This anthracite region, located in
the northeastern corner of the Cos-'
sack-ridden state of Pennsylvania,
embracing a territory of some 480l
square miles, is truly one Of Ameri-
cas- basic industries. The industry,
considered very compact from a
geographical point of view, in con-
tradistinction to the widespread BIZ
luminous industry, averages an an
nual tonnage production of 75,000,-
L 900 tons, produced at a tremendous
cost of human life. The anthra-
cite product is largely domestic
fuel, utilized chiefly in the eastern
United States,vnefe particularly and
to a9greater degree in the Atlantic
seaboard states. In this corner of
Cossack Pennsylvania is located the
greatest anthracite coal deposit in
the world.
Militant Traditions
Historically, this region is a fa-
nous battle-ground of the strug-
Cling miners. s-.I, differ. therefore,
with the writer's who have stated
fas. compared with the miners of the
bituminous fields, general militancy
and the determination to struggle
amongst the rank'and file of4the an
thracite miners is not tradition" T"
The anthracite is landmark of
miners struggles. 1t was here that
the first beginnings, the first at
tempt, the first success in the or
ganization of a nine workers union
was initiated. In the year 1S49,
which to the earliest attempt as yet
recorded, JOHN Bates, working mi
fner, .es1teredsthe field and. organized
the first miners union, In 1864,
John Siney founded the. Working
mems Benevolent Society Of Carbon
County. Other small independent
miners unions of that period had
their inception in the anthracite ter
ritory.
/ Gigantic struggles have been
waged by the anthracite miners. 1t
was this region where the Molly
Maguires were found and thrived.
The Lattimer massacre, the long
! .lstrilSes undertaken to establish union
! organization, the tremendous sac
rifice of life for the cause Of union
tisfn, ETC., sufficiently disproves the
''lack of tradition" struggles Of these
miners. Then, considering the many
and bitter struggles of recent years,
to the remembrance Of even the
youngest of US, completely dis
proves the argument that thse mi
ners aren't tfaditionally militant.
{, These long and,bHter fights of the
anthracite miners are really parts of
a. fundamental struggle It against
capitalism itself. The capitalist
mine ownersswell realize this and are
conscious of it, but apparently the
! miners are tottconscioas of it, their
perspective largely centering on the
realization OF. elemental, everyday,
necessary reforms regarding wages,
Ehours. and WORKING conditions only.
The miners do not see the deeper,
the fundamental aspects of the
struggle; which the employers all
too well do. rs
The wage rates are lower and the
WORKING. gopditions ,of the anthracite
miners are considerably worse than
that of the bituminous miners. Ex-
cepting the mines where mechani-
zation has already penetrated, the
system of mining anthracite is as
primitive and medieval as when Bates
organized his men. Under the in
dividual operator, private ownership
scheme of mining, the difficulties
4 of mining anthracite are consider
ably greater than in bituminous mi
lining. consequently, no uniformity
lof wa ge Scales or working conditions
f'existsa tsainsany part of the region.
ttfiisI{ t7fA'-