Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-08-30


of this additional expense. Person.
ally, feel that very few, II any, Of
them, will assume this extra burden.
Must Report to Congress.
The bill also directs the commission
to study methods Of production control
and to report its findings and con-
illusions to the next Congress. This
is important in that should q salts
factory method Of production control
be found, 1t would assist very much
in the sterilization problem. The
Congress will consider this report and
II it concurs with the findings Of the
commission amend the present legis-
lation.
What will this bill do for the labor
that works in and about the mines?
1t will provide better living wage
with which these 100000 men may
lake care of their 2,000,0 dependents,
all of whom most Of the time have
lived close to starvation. It will re-
store to these men and their families
their rights as American citizens by
bringing to an end In some mining
communities conditions which in fact
made serfs Of them. It will do this
through the labor provisions Of the
bill. BY the terms Of the bill and the
provisions of the code, employees in the
industry have the right to organize
and bargain collectively through rep
resentatives Of their own choosing.
They are to be free from interference,
restraint or coercion of employers in
the designation of representatives or
in self organization for collective bar
gaining or other mutual aid or pro-
lection. No one employed or seeking
employment is to be required to join
company union. Employees are
guaranteed the right of peaceful as
semblage for the discussion of princi-
pies of collective bargaining. They
cannot be required as a condition Of
employment to live in company houses
or to trade at q company store. Maxi
mum and daily hours of labor will be
agreed upon by producers of more
that two-thirds of the annual tonnage
and representatives of more than one
half of the mine workers employed
and such agreements must be accepted
by code members.
Wage agreements in any district or
group Of districts Of more than two
thirds of the annual tonnage in the
district or districts involved and the
representatives of O majority Of the
mine workers involved are to be &C
cepted as minimum wages by the code
members operating in the district or
districts involved.
Board to Conduct Elections.
A Bituminous Coal Labor Board Is
provided for and Is given power to
conduct elections for the purpose of
determining who are the freely chosen
representatives of the employees, to
offer its services as mediator in GER
tain disputes, and upon written SUBJ
mission Of controversy by the parties
thereto, to arbitrate the matter sub
mitted.
I believe these labor provisions
| guarantee rights to which the workers
are entitled and that they will do
much to relieve the constant disrup-
ton of soft coal mining caused by dis
satisfaction of the workers and con-
sequent strikes
What effect will this legislation have
upon the consumer and how Is he
protected?
Little II any increase In the price
Of bituminous coal to the consumer
will result from the operation of this
act. I believe that increased efficiency
Of operation which will be brought
about by this plan will reduce the cost
Of production in an amount greater
than the tax imposed. In my judg-
ment, under the methods prescribed
for fixing prices, all operators will be
compelled to carry on their business
with the greatest possible efficiency.
The prices Of coal at the mine are
co-ordinated and averaged in accord
ance with the operating costs Of all
the mines in the respective districts.
The owner whose operating costs are
high will have as an incentive for
efficiency prospect of q better profit
If he becomes more efficient. As he
does this the general average Of
operating costs Of the mines In his
district necessarily will be lowered and
the minimum price for coal at the
mine thereby reduced. This will enure
to the benefit of the consumer.
The Coal Commission Is authorized
to establish maximum prices at uni
form increase above the minimum
prices. the amount Of the increase to
be such as will represent q reasonable
return or profit above the average
total cost.
A consumers counsel is provided to
represent the consumers of soft coal.
He is to be independent OF the district
boards, the commission, the Labor
Board and the industry. He is pro-
hibited from being connected with the
coal industry or competing allied in
dustries. and is given his own assis-
tantS and appropriation. 1t is his
duty to appear and represent the con-
sumner in proceedings before the COM
mission. He will have compulsory
process to obtain testimony and is
given authority to institute proceed
ings and investigations by the Coal
Commission. -...
The bill requires the commission to
hear complaints and to take action
to remedy abuses found whenever sub
stantial complaint is made by con-
sumers that soft coal prices are ex-
cessive.
The consumers interests have been
well protected, indeed.
This Guffey-Snyder bituminous
coal bill is rational formula for the
sterilization of a much oppressed
national resource industry. The i'm
portance Of this industry in the eco
nomic scheme of things in our country
warrants this direct action by the
Congress. 1t Is my Judgment and be-
lief that it will prove most beneficial
to all the people of this Nation.
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