The daily worker., 1931-12-17
CONTINUED FRon PAGE ONE,

by teh company.
ii. Abolition Of tire system, of
bucking the coal,
IL. Equal turn In the entire mine.
1S. Yardage to be paid for In the
necks, entries and all narrow places.
IA. Unemployment Of all black
listed miners.
IS. No discrimination against any
of the strikers, and especially not
against colored miners.
16. Withdrawal Of all armed forces
from the coal fields and release of all
miners in jails for union activity.
II. Enforcement OF the 8-hour day.
Is. Recognition Of the union
check -weighmen In all mines.
10. Recognition of the National
Miners Union and Mine Committees.
20. Installment OF man-trip in
mines when necessary.
2is AL miners TO be paid in us.
currency Regular pay days TO be on
18th and 30tfl of each month. Every
miner to have the right to trade
wherever he chooses.
Frank Borich, national secretary
Of the NMU outlined the organiza-
tional measures necessary to the set
ting UP of q strike apparatus. From
the District Secretaries Of Ohio and
Pennsylvania, Stvert and Kenmeno-
vich, pledges of solidarity and sup
port to the strike Of the Southern
miners was made.
Ike Hawkins, Negro Director Of the
National Miners Union, was greeted
with an outburst Of applause as he
took the floor to speak on the neces-
sdty of bringing Negroes into the
Union,
In the prejudice ridden South the
Chief OF Police and the Mayor looked
on with establishment as the miners,
white Americans" greeted his 'you
are just as much slaves as my grand
father was" with mur1neurs Of you're
right"
A pouring rain did not halt the
miners. many walked thirty miles
from Harlan to Pineville. The rest
came in cars, open-trucks, with wives
and children. Harlan thugs threat
ened to prevent the miners from
leaving Harlan. The city of Pine
vile authorities told the Convention
it was not welcome in Pineville But
the miners came and the Convention
was held and sounded a note of re-
bellion against starvation and terror
as q, New Years gift for the opera
tors.
Bill Meeks, Straight Greek miner,
chairman, contemporary denied the
lies of the U.M.W.A. that the NM.U.
was q white mans union against the
Negro. "We brother YOU" he said,
makes no difference If you're black
or white. We brother you II you are
laboring man who will stand square
to the battle fer better conditions" /"
Throughout this Convention the
miners scored the betxayals of the
U.Mw.A. and tho I.w.w. A miner
from Harlan, Lindsay. said: The
U. M. w. A. ahrcw lis all In a ditch
The N.M.U. came along like q good
Samaritan and took us out"
Finley Donaldson bluntly an
swered another popular attack of the
coal operators. "I'm not Russian
Red" he said, ~ don't know what
am. But believe I'm an overworked
underfed coal digger. And here I
stand today rebelling against misery
and starvation. Conditions are SO
bad that 1t would make rabbit spit
in q bulldogs facel"
Repeatedly the miners pledged 10y
atty to the National Miners Union.
One from Middlesboro stated: IT amt
no speaker, I'm coal digger, but I'd
like to say few words. We work IL,
IS, IA hours. When we kick, they
say you know where to go to- I
don't know where to go. I don't
want to go no place outside of Mid
dlesboro. was born there. I pay
taxes there. I tried everything be-
fore the NM.U.--U.M.WA.. IW.W.
All threw me down in a ditch, But
! swear I'll never belong TO nothing
else any more. I'll stick with this
N.MU. until I die.
IT came from Cumberland, KY"
seia another natrer. u spent 10 years