The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-02-07

National Secretary of the National
Miners Union)
ONCE the beginning Of the crisis
y the coal fields have been the
main battle fields of the working
class against starvation in the
United States, primarily the fight
of the miners has been against
wage cuts.
No other section of the Ameri-
can working class has as yet put
up such a stubborn, determined,
militant mass struggle against
wage cuts. Especially the last two
years saw tremendous, bloody mass
strike battles in the coal industry.
1881 A YEAR OF
MINERS STRUGGLE
The year of 1881 began with a
strike of 5000 Kentucky miners, fol-
lowed by $4,000 Glen Alden miners,
10000 in the lower Anthracite and
a renewed strike of the same u.s.
600 Glen Alden miners in the East
ern Pennsylvania fields. The peak
OF the strike struggles was reached
in the historic strike of $4,000
-Ohio-W. Va. miners, organ
lied and led by the National Min
ers Union. The same year was
characterized by several scores of
smaller strikes, involving tens of
thousands of miners in every coal
field.
AT the same time tremendous 10
cal, county, state and national un-
employed movements took place,
accompanied by q series Of strikes
on state and public works.
1882 OPENED WITH
MASS BATTLES
The year OF 1882 opened the strike
Of 10000 Kentucky miners, fol-
lowed by $4,000 in Illinois, $4,000
in Indiana, 10000 in Ohio and lit
orally hundreds of smaller scat
tered strikes involving more than
100000 miners. No coal field in the
United States but saw these local
strikes.
Some OF these strikes, especially
in Illinois and Indiana, marked
new pages in the history of the
American working class. Mean
while the struggle for immediate
relief and unemployment and So
cial insurance took on much great
er proportions than in 1881.
PRINCIPAL OBSTACLES
TO VICTORY
Due to the Strikebreaking role of
the United Mine Workers officials,
the shameful, treacherous role of
the Musteites, particularly in Illi-
nois and the Anthracite; the bru-
tai fascist terror Of the governs
ment; due to the weaknesses Of
the N.M.U. and its underestima-
ton OF the strike struggles, most
or these militant strikes ended with
g. wage cut, worsening of the work
ing and living conditions, mass
blackliSting and greater starvation.
The last two years saw over
100000 miners engaged in bitter
bloody strike struggles against
wage cuts. The number participate
ing IN the struggle for immediate
relief, unemployment and social
insurance, and III other local strug-
giles was far greater.
1888 SEES STRIKE
SENTIMENT GAINING
At the beginning Of 1885 the
fighting spirit and determination
OF the miners, employed and unem-
ployed, is growing with unprece-
dented speed, penetrating every
coal camp. The sentiment for strike
In the early Spring is gaining ire
mendous impetus.
1t can be said without any hest
tation that the yea of 1893, be-
cause OF new ware cuts, actual
mass hunger and untold SUFFERING.
will find more miners engaged in
strike struggles than the previous
two years combined; that the I'M
employed movement, combined with
the strike struggles, will attain
greater proportions and reach
higher levels; that the miners will
be once more in the front trenches
Of the class battles in the United
States.
WHAT LEADERSHIP?
If this perspective is correct
and unquestionably it is--the ques-
ton arises: Who win lead these
mass battles? VIII the miners
struggle under the wage cutting
and strike breaking leadership of
the U.M.W.A.: or the treacherous
leadership OF Mnsteites; or viii
they struggle under the revolu-
ticnary leadership Of the National
Miners Union, leadership based on
. broad united front ard march
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