The Omaha guide., 1933-08-26
FAIR PLAY FOR NEGRO COAL
SOUGHT AT NRA HEARINGS

WAOHlNGlON-(CNS) Backed
by a united group of church and fra
ternal leaders and speaking for the
thousands of Negro coal miners, DR..
Robert @. Weaver director of re-
search of the Negro Industrial Lea
que, delivered a striking appeal for
fair-play to Negro soft csal miners
at the hearings on the code of fair
competition for the bituminous coal
industry held at the Department Of
Commerce Building here last week.
DR.. Weaver, who as representative
Of the Negro Industrial League, made
a similar appeal for Negro lumber
workers recently stated at the outset
of his remarks that the statement of
the Negro Industrial League had been
endorsed by the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, and the A. NJ. &.
Zion Church, with a membership of
more than one million and a quarter
Negro citizens.
In addition he announced that the
statement represented to Deputy Ad-
minister K. M. Simpson had the en-
dorsement of outstanding Negro
leaders. The brief presented vas pre-
pared by the Negro Industrial League
in association with DIR. George e
Haynes, Race Relations Secretary OF
the Federal Council of Churches OF
Christ of America, and Miss Mary
Van Kleeck of the Russell Sage
Foundation of New York City.
An analysis Of the sharp discrim-
nations in wages and hours of labor
practiced in regions where Negro coal
miners predominated was made by
DIR. Weaver.
Motions Telegram Creates Sensation
One Of the most significant por-
lions Of the Negro Industrial Lea
CUES statement at the hearings was
contained in a telegram from Major
Robert Russo Motion of Tuskegee In
stitue. read by DR.. Weaver as a part
of his statement. The Motion Telegram
sent to Miss Mamie Burroughs, who
worked with others in securing 6
/ united front for the soft coal hear
ings. read as follows:
"You may quote me al feeling thai
there should be no discrimination OF
the ground of color. Neither ths
Country nor the Negro can afford II
ask or approve Of less pay for equa
service. To do so would a~ntagnoiz'
white labor and lead to serious labo,
and racial outbreaks. In such a cas-
the Negro would in the last analyst
be the loser"
The telegram, from SO outstanding
a Negro leader, caused a round o
approval from white labor leaders
many Of whom pledged the Negro In
dustrial League their support in tn
fight being waged for equal treat
ment of Negro labor. John L. Lewis
head of the United Mine Workers O
America, assured League Rrepre
~sentatives Of his support in thei
fight.
Low wage rates Of Is and 80 cent
an hour proposed by the Alabam
Coal mine barons, came in for hars'
criticism by DR. Weaver. "The fact,
said the speaker, "that one of tn
lowest hourly wage rates offere
here m from the Alabama Mimi,
Institute group, where SO per cent Q
the labor in the coal industry is Ne
gro, would seem to indicate as ha
been so forcefully stated by Secre
tary of Labor Perkins in her discus
sion of he steel code, that the reasol
for these low wages is the FREEDOM
nance Of Negro labor in those areas
DR.. Weaver pointed out that tn
difference in wages proposed to b
paid Northern and Western miners o.
one side and Southern miners, mainl,
Negro on the other, would result il
virtual wage slavery for the A, 100,
Negro miners in Southern states Fl,
declared that the line as to wages ha,