Montana labor news., 1936-07-02
STORY OF LAND0N
AND THE MINERS

ioAid - OhS VI liC idlSCot ZAiO llCius
in the United States. The hazards Of
mining in this field are deplorable due
to the fact that we have no working
conditions worthy to speak OF, and min
er's consumption is continually taking
its toll OF human life. Whole genera
tons are wiped out by this disease. The
average life of a miner in this field IS
from five to eight years, according to
government data; still nothing has been
done to correct this wanton waste Of
human lives that could have been cor
rected years ago.
The mining laws of Oklahoma were
drafted by the operators Of the mines
in the Oklahoma fields. Men working
in the Oklahoma mines were forced to
place their signatures on petitions fav-
oring the present mining laws, and the
bill went before the legislature with
practically 100 per cent OF the sigma
lures OF all men working in Oklahoma
at that time. The laws made by the
operators certainly did not do the min
ers any good.
Our deputy mine Inspector, Ivan Fis-
her, is an operator. The mines are not
ventilated, and the air conditions the
men work under are bad. The oxygen
content OF these mines is so low that
nothing but a carbide lamp will burn
(You must understand that a carbide
lamp will burn when the oxygen con-
tent is as low as II per cent while a
open light or safety light will go out
when the content is II per cent? In
lots OF mines in this field a tailor-made
cigarette will not burn. Carbon mon-
oxide gas is present at all times, along
with dynamite smoke and carbon do
xide gas. All OF these, along with
rock dust, make it impossible for the
workers in these mines to live long.
These working conditions have been
present over a period OF sixty-five
years and nothing has been done about
it. Why have not the hard-rock min
ers the same conditions as the coal
miners2 Why have our state legisla-
tors failed to intervene in our beahlf?
Do the lawmakers OF Oklahoma have
the idea that rock miners can get along
without air TO breathe?
The little town OF Picher, Okla, is
hemmed in by shat piles Of the mines,
and women and children die from tub
erculosis brought about by the dust
blowing from the chat piles and from
poor housing, as zone Of the miners
have modern homes, but live in shacks
that would not make decent dog ken
nels.
In 1888 organized efforts were made
in this field, after we had built up II
strength to where we thought we had
the majority. We started 10 negoti-
ate with the company, but were denied
the rights OF collective bargaining. We
felt hat we were right as we were
working under section 7 Of the NRA,
but it is strange that while working
people accept a law, mining corpora
tons accept only law that meets with
their approval. Government concilia-
tors, we're called In on our case, but
they got nowhere. Finally we were
forced TO strike, and on May 9th at
midnight the Mine, Mill and Smelter
Workers called the strike.
Things were going until the sheriff,
one Eli Dry, became ambitious and
started in to help the mine operators
break the strike. The sheriff and his
deputy, along with the chief Of police
Of Picher, were severaly beaten while
attempting to load non-union men on
a truck. County officers wired Gov
ernor Marland that the strike was out
Of control, and the governor sent in
state troops. After the arrival of the
troops a company union was formed
and Col. Head mounted a machine
gun in front OF the. company union hall
and protected the "scabs" in their COM
pany union organization. Union men
were condemned and called radicals
and reds. Paid thugs black-jacked I'M
ion men OH the streets of Picher, Okla,
and nothing could be done about it..
The best we could hope for would be
a charge OF fighting if we defended
ourselves.
Eight hundred blank deputy COM
missisners we're given to Mike Evans
mike Evans was a former bootlegger
according to the statement Of an Eagle
Picher mine officer, and the organizer
Of the company union.) These gun
men and thugs run the streets of our
city day and night, abusing and an
tagonizing union men and women.
Things got SO bad that our mayor,
Cred Gary, gave our boys permits to
carry guns, and as soon as Col. Head
found this out he went to Gary and
told him to revoke the permits or he
would declare martial law in Picher.
The Eagle Picher Company in try
ing to start their smelter at Galena,
Kan, met with opposition, and Gov.
Landon Of Kansas Immediately sent in
state troops to protect the "scabs' and
set up martial law in Cherokee county.
The Kansas governor did not give us
miners any consideration at all, but
was much interested in helping mining
companies Of Kansas.
Isn't it strange that when men come
out on strike for better wages, or work
ing conditions, that the state troops
are sent in to break the strike, while
big business can shut down their mines,
mills or factories, and they do so to get
a better price for their commodity, yet
no troops are sent in to make them
put men back to work. This looks like
class legislation to me. | might say
that the wages in the tri-state zinc field
range as low as $l.00 per day in Eagle
Picher mine No. Is. The Mine, Mill
and Smelter Workers are asking all
Union labor not to use any product
manufactured by the Eagle Picher
r A. To,~o1 kGt,.an ,,I