The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-07-29

Pennsylvania companies have a trick
of making miners do the work of
mules, pushing cars. After the strike
is won, if they wish to do that, they
will have to pay for it. The Central
Pennsylvania companies have some
unusual facility for cheating on the
scales, and the miners demand a
special type of scale to make it har-
der to cheat. The rates per ton are
higher, because of the thin seams
Of coal in Central Pennsylvania.
Some Central Pennsylvania mines
are even paying higher than the SIS
cents demanded by the miners in
western Pennsylvania.
These demands will be circularized
through Central Pennsylvania at
mass meetings and local conferences,
as the basis on which the National
Miners Union is fighting. Locals of
the NM.U. will be set up everywhere,
during the next two weeks. Then,
on August 9, another conference,
with representation from the locals
and from fine committees will meet
in Hagar's Hail. Woodvale, Johns
town and review them, in the light
of discussions at the mine meetings.
This conference of August will set
the date for strike in all Central
Pennsylvania mines.
The reports Of delegates from the
various sections provided much in
formation of the conditions and the
state Of mind of the miners in this
district. I'm a UNIV. scab from
Portage" said one delegate, there's
UNIV. agreement there. but the
miners have nothin gto say in the
UNIV. meetings, and when the
strike starts, we'll all drop our tools"
The rate in Portgage for pick coal
which used to be $1.14 is down to 81
cents now.
A delegate from Windber section
told of working there for 10 years.
He has never before even heard of
such starvation as now Miners get
one days pay week to load coal,
and then put in couple of days
shooting rock, without pay.
Were feeling to come out" said
man from Senior section, describing
similar conditions.
1--WE load twice as much coal as
we are paid for" said a man right
from Johnstown. I'VE work from 5
a. m. to p. M, and can't make
living. 1t takes four mn TO push a
car. They bring us telephone poles
for timbers, and we have to cut them
to size, without pay
1.-THE company store has IA dix
ferent prices" said one from Blough
section. IF you manage to keep out
of debt, they raise the price on you
until you are in debt. Two men can
not handle the tirnbers. The weigh
boss stands with his hands behind
his back and his eyes closed, letting
the cars roll over the scales like
creased Tightening"
"You hunt spikes" said the re-
porter from Ralson. eff you ask the
boss for spikes, he tells you to go
to town and buy them from the
Cambria mills (The great Bethlehem
steel plant at Johnstown).
you're lucky to make $3.50 day
when you work." said the fellow from
Hollsopple. you have to hunt for
your own rails in abandoned rooms"
Men wear overalls all the time at
Barnsborough," said another. Their
families are half naked. They are
starving. About six weeks ago they
all joined the UNIV. in desperation.
But they get nothing through the
UNIV They will strike"
And so it went for Blackjack, Sew
ard, Charles, Jrome, etc Some Sec
tons sent word that they had no
representation because they could
not get gas for transportation
stark poverty prevented the commu-
nifty from raising even few cents.