The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-06-13

Jobs elsewhere They have no money to pay for
moving. But Of course the operator is perform
ing public service by Continuing operations
under exceedingly difficult conditions"
In all Western Pennsylvania there were not
more than $4,000 miners working when the
strike began and the great majority of these
were working part time. Four years ago there
we're 10000 miners. There was chronic mass I'M
employment here two years before the present
general crisis. Wages have been hammered down
to the coolie level and the miners speeded up
beyond endurance.
The Pittsburgh papers harp continually upon
the great differences in operating conditions in
various mines and the tremendous problems
these super1nen, the coal operators, for the most
part simply the material experts of the steel
companies, are forced to face Some mines have
very favorable conditions others have great
technical difficulties, according to the press.
From the miners standpoint under present con-
ditions there good mines. The differ
ence consists in this: Some are worse than
others.
Facing starvation and intolerable hardships on
the Job the miners themselves coined the phrase:
IT'S better to starve striking than to starve
working" These conditions, coupled with the
facts that the miners have had long training
in struggle and that they have developed fight
tional Miners Union account for the militant
and resolute character of the present struggle
Furthermore, he struggle involves practically
the whole working class in. each mining COM
nlurlity. 1t is a mass revolt
1t takes more than widespread terror and legal
suppression to break such strike. The most
skillful Of the operators know this and have won
most Of the others for their tactical program.
Even the rabid union hating Post-Gazette has
lined up for the policy first given public express
sion by the Pittsburgh Press. The essence of
this policy consists in revival of the U.M.W.A.
as the company union for Western Pennsyl-
vania. The operators and their various spotes-
men are now declaring that they are not
against organization in principle. They are try
ing by every means to set up, under the guns
of the police and state cossacks fascist union
ism in the coalfields
The Pittsburgh Press for June carried an
editorial headed: why not revive the UNI
W.A?" The next day it said editorially: LET
the whole Pittsburgh district be organized (by
the UMWA.-B.D) There will be no difficulty
about wages or working conditions. In West
Virginia organization has been accomplished at
wage scales lower than any reputable Pittsburgh
operator is paying. (The U.MWA. recently
signed agreement with the small Pursglove
mine in northern West Virginia for 80 cents per
ton, a checkweighman appointed by the COM
pany-and checkoff of $3.50 per month";
The st-Gazette has followed suit although it
took several days for it to make up it's editorial
nind-mesning that the coal operators were not
as yet agreed upon this policy. But on June 10
the Post-Gazette said editorial1y: THE state
ments Of Sheriffs Seaman Of Washington Coun-
ty and Johnston Of Westmoreland County that
none of the violence In their fields is attribut-
able to striking members of the United Mine
Workers of America simply confirm the general
observation. .sthey have not only their own
good sense, but fidelity to the wise counsel of
their leaders to refrain from any act of disorder.
Effective cooperation is possible only through
proper organization of both miners and oper-
ators The United Mine Workers. has expert
enced both victory and defeat. IL deserves pub
lie support now for the very manner In which it