The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-05

ginia miners. Under the flrSt
n. F. A. appalachian Agree
ment" the wages in West Virginia
were a cents lower than in Penn
sylvsnia, although the cost Of living
Is the same.
The miners for years fought
against this differential, which was
always approved by the UM.W.A.
leaders and incorporated in all the
agreements. The PENNSYLVANIA OPP
orators also fought against the diff
ferential. as the West Virginia OPP
orators had considerable advantage
over them in the struggle for mar
kets. But the Federal Commerce
Commission, on several occasions,
ruled in favor of the West Virginia
operators.
$4,000 Struck April
At the expiration of the agree
ment. March 81, the West Virginia
miners threatened to strike for the
same scale received by the Pennsyl-
vania miners. On the other hand
the most powerful Pennsylvania OPP
orators, led by the Mellon interests,
threatened to refuse the renewal of
the agreement with the UMWA I'M
less the differentisl was eliminated.
The refusal to renew the agreement
meant inevitable strike and prob
ably general strike Of the miners.
Fearing the strike of the miners.
IN the midst of the growing strike
wave throughout the country, the
NR.A administration was forced,
at the last moment, to issue an lex
ecutive order" eliminating the diff
ferentisl and equalizing wages in
these two largest coal producing
fields ir.tthe country The West Vir-
gin.s operators however, refused to
accept the proposition as it effected
their profits.
On April l, 10000 West Virginia
miners struck, closing every mine in
the field. to increase their wages
to the level of the Pennsylvania
miners. Although the strike dis
played no real militancy, for rea-
sons too numerous to mention here.
1t nevertheless. remained solid and
became dangerous to the operators,
the VIVA. leaders and the govern
ment. if quick settlement could
not be made
Miners Demand Relief
Despite the fact that the miners
have operated with full force for
the past four or five months. and
despite the NR.A. Increased" wage
scale. the third week of the strike
found the majority of the miners
without any food. The committees
from 2lI the UM.W.A. locals packed
up the Government Relief Associa-
ton and the UM,W.A. Offices daily
from early in the morning until late
at night demanding relief. At the
same time the fight Of the unem-
plcyed for relief was intensified as
the state Of West Virginia made no
provisions for the unemployed after
the discrimination of the C.WA.
On top Of this movement is under
way against the consumers tax OF
2 per cent put into effect on April l.
The situation became too danger
Gus for the authorities and the
U.M.W.A. leaders to handle. They
were constantly in touch with
Washington. Something had to be
done to send the miners back to
work On Saturday night. April 81,
the local papers suddenly" came
out with extra" editions announc-
ing that the agreement was signed.
Sunday. April %. every U.M.W.A.
local met to discuss the settlement.
But no one could produce the
agreement or report its contents.
The meetings correctly branded
the newspapers reports as a dirty
piece Of advertisement by the coal
operators, business men and the su-
thorities.' The UMW.A. leaders I'M
ouestionably took part in the
scheme. However, every local union
made unanimous decision to con-
tinue the strike and to organize
mass picketing on Monday morning
to prevent any possible strikebreak-
ing.
UM.W.A. Leaders Broke Strike
Late Sunday night, after the min
ers went to sleep. the local officials
acting under the instructions of the
district officials. went from house to
house, waking up the miners. tell
ing them that the strike was set
tied and that every one should re-
port for work Monday morning.
AS result of this scheme some
Of the mines operated Monday with
q full force. Others remained on
strike. In some instances the op-
orators made no effort to reopen
their mines. The strike is over but
no one knows anything about the
agreement and will not know until
the pay day in the middle of Nav.
That the strike was sold out is
proven by the fact that the U. M.
w. A. leaders refuse to answer as
TO what will be the new wage scale.
The weakest feature of the strike
was that it displayed no real mill
fancy and that it was sold out by
the U.M.W.A. leaders without seri-
Gus resistance on the part of the
miners. How is this fact to be ex-
planned?
Every mine in West Virginia, with
few isolated exceptions, is operat-
ing under the U.MW.A. agreement;
the U.M.W,A. is the recognized
union. The overwhelming majority
Of the miners are members of the
UM.W.A Yet, wherever there is no
forcible check-off, large groups of
the miners remain outside the u. M.
w A. These are the most class
conscious and most militant miners.
They refuse to Join the U. M. w. A.
on the grounds that Lewis is an
agent OF the coal operators and
that they will not pay dues to him
Opposition in U.M.W.A. Chief Tasks