The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-08-06

6pOuG ~ delegates VINO Tau ShPPe0
through the enemies lines, a hurry
up call seems to have been sent out,
and the gunmen's cars speeded to
some concentration point to attack
the conference. The attack never ac-
tually came, the gangsters seem to
have waited too long for their stool
pigeons at the conference to tell Of
the appearance Of some Of the most
wanted leaders. They were particu-
larry anxious, apparently. for Brooks,
Grace, or Frank Borich, secretary Of
the National Miners Union. They
had heard Borich was TO address the
conference, and had an accurate de-
scription and pictures OF him. The
conference was attended by about
800 men women and children from
the neighborhood, miners families,
who were seated separately from the
delegates in the gymnasium OF the
WalIins Greek school, in which the
delegates occupied the central floor
and the visitors the side seats. er.
Arrangements were made for di-
Nding the local unions Of the E.M.U.
in Harlan county into groups which
can meet when meetings of the
whole local are impossible because of
terror, for the continued organiza-
ton of relief and defense, for the
demonstrations on the day Of the
trial of the Evarts bunch of 80,
charged with murder because Of the
Black Mountain battle.
The demands worked out by the
scale committee were read to the
conference amidst prolonged aS-
plause. Those demands are popular.
They represent the grievances Of the
whole community Of miners. They
indicate the economic background
which causes the guerrilla warfare
that RACES day after day In Harlan
county. To avoid giving in TO these
demands, the coal operators have
loosed the terror. The demands are
for:
Eght-hour day; outside day work
$3.50; all other work not classified
here TO be decided by conference.
Time and half for all overtime;
equal turn; no checkoff; all brush
ing paid for at rate of s5.55 per day;
union check weighman elected by
miners; all day work inside $5.55; all
machine mined coal &c ton over AZ
inches; all under 70 inches &c addi-
tional added per inch per ton. Ma
chine runners and helpers l2c per
ton over 10 inches; under AZ inches
i5c per ton; pick mined coal 75c per
ton; machine work 75c yard on work
under 10 feet; solid work sl.5o yard
on work under 10 feet. Unemploy-
ment insurance. weekly pay days.
We demand the abolition Of the
two car system on one track DIN
rooms and entries, or In any place
where it is necessary TO buck the
coal. Where coal must be turned
the miner be paid the tonnage rate
for each time the coal Is turned.
That every coal company in the
state Of Kentucky come under the
compensation law. We demand the
right to select our own doctor and
contract for his services. The rent
in all company towns be no higher
than 81 per room; that coal be fur
nished free to all employees; a maxi
mum charge of 81 for electric lights;
that man trips be run for the &C.
commodation OF the miners morning
and night; that the bath house state
law be complied with; all materials,
tools, supplies, ETC., to be delivered
at the working place; that the prac-
tice Of pushing cars by the miners be
abolished.
To avoid granting these demands,
and In the hope OF smashing the or
ganization by a grand slaughter Of
its leaders, the operators planned a
massacre on the road to the Wallins
Greek conference. There Is . bridge
over the creek which must be passed
by practically all the delegates. A
miner scouting through the woods
the day before the conference Stun
bled on two machine gun emplace-
ments built of rock, with breast
works OF rock in inches Of the rock
wall on both sides. One Of the en-
placements was camouflaged with a
burlap screen. Both were hidden
from the road. and from all around