The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
Overcome Our Shortcomings!
Build Mass Unions!

to work. The UNIV. issued demands merely
for the day men. They issued no demands for
the coal leaders who constituted the majority
of the men strike. This merely split the
ranks of the strikers. our comrades made
no efforts to remedy this situation.
Misuse of United Front.
Our comrades also neglected a splendid OPP
portunity to establish the united front from
below and through this to win over the miners
who were not connected with any union as
we'll as a majority of those who are still men,
bers of the M.O.S.WI.U. Three meetings of
this kind were held. Only on the fifth day of
the strike did our organizers propose that a
strike committee be elected. This was rejected
by the meeting because our organizers made
no attempt to convince the men, to give lead
ership, but were content to lag behind.
On the seventh day of the strike, after pres
sure from the center, strike committee was
elected which included some of the members
of the revolutionary union as we'll as unor-
ganized workers.
Not Sufficient Responsibility.
Our organizers in the field do not feel 5uf-
ficiently the responsibility for the union. While
large sections of the miners in Scots Run
ideologically support the M.O.SWIU., the
number of dues-paying members is at min
resentatives of relief committee, than as or
ganizers of a revolutionary union.
The situation exists where thousands of
miners in this section call themselves men,
bers of our union without even having men,
bership book. This weakness must be over
come, else the basis will be laid for the social
fascist Harrington gang coming into the Wet
Virginia coal fields. AS this article is writ
ten, word has come of the opening of head
quarters in Paramount, w. Va, by this gang).
More Wage Cuts Coming.
number of mines have announced addition
al wage cuts. Pursglove Mines l, g and
a, have announced wage cut of 10 cents per
beginning Sept. 1. This cuts the price
paid for coal to 14Iz cents per ton. The same
cut has also been announced by the Bunker
Mine, where 10 per cent wage cut took place
recently and also at the mines at Chaplin and
Usage.
The conditions of the miners are so bad
that one can hardly believe that it is possible
to force additional wage cuts Yet the oper-
ators are doing this. Misery among the miners
is increasing.
Great numbers of miners have not handled
money for many months at time. Their pay
envelopes show debt to the company.
Rents on the houses owned by the company
have been raised. Unemployment among the
miners has reached an exceedingly high stage.
We Must Correct Our Errors
In order to be able to retain leadership over
these strikes and win completely the con-
fidence of the miners, our comrades in the
field must show
/. The ability to build and maintain an
organized union which shall consist of a reg
ular dues-paying membership. This must be
accompanied by the development of capable
local leadership in each NINE g Through the
establishment of united front from below,
drawing in unorganzed miners into strike lead
ership. Special efforts must be made to draw
in on our committees Negro miners who form
large section of the population. 3. The
ability to connect the demands of the strikers
in the individual mines in the geenra program
of the union a. Through the connecting of
the struggles of the employed miners with
that of the unemployed. 5. Through the mob
ilization of effective mass picket lines which
must include unemployed miners and women
as well as the striking miners. These picket
lines must be organized for the purpose Of
preventing the scabs from entering the mines
The main issue around which the strikers