Evening star., 1939-12-13
BY JAMES f. CHINN.


been denied their rights under the
Wagner Act and forced to join the
United Mine Workers of America
&C. I. o., the special House COM
mlttee investigating the National
Labor Relations Board was told to-
day by Joe Ozanic. president of the
rival Progressive Mine Workers OF
America "a F. L..
Mr. Ozanic, who dug coal himself
until becoming head of the union in
1888, led into the committee room a
parade of IA coal miners who later
plan to relate to the committee their
own troubles under the New Deals
labor relations policy.
approximately 10000 mine work.
ers in various coal fields" Mr.,
Ozanlc declared, have been denied
their moral and legal rights under
provisions of the National Labor Re-
latlons Act to belong to an organ
lZatlon of their own choosing and
these mine workers went against
their desires in being compelled bv
their employers and by officials of
the c. l. o. and the United Mine
Workers of America to join and paw
/ dues to the United Mine Workers
OF America as condition of their
continued employment"
| 33-Page Statement.
/ The 10000 miners. the witness
/ pointed out, work in the bituminous
coal mines of West Virginia, Kansas,
Arkansas and Oklahoma and the
anthracite fields of PENNSYLVANIA.
/ Mr.. Ozanic arrived at the hearing
armed with 33-page statement.
he SAID his union was organized
In April, 1888, and membership
drive started, but this great surge
to freedom was stopped almost dead
IN its track by the National Labor
Relations Boards administration of
the wagner Act. This act itself
seemed clear and fair and desirable
from labor's viewpoint; it was
counted upon to give the workers
that minimum of protection which
they needed in order effectively to
organize for collective bargaining.
But the partisan administration Of
the act by biased board made the
act definite hlndrance. It has de-
| prlVed large numbers of mine work.
efs OF the right which, presumably,
( me law was to protect-the right to
bargain collectively through repre-.
sentatlVes Of their own choosing"
Mr.. Ozanic said the organization
ne heads was formed by Illinois coal
miners who revolted against the
"olctatorial' methods of the United
Mine Workers of America headed bv
John L. Lewis.
Tom Hagler, colored coal miner
from Logan, w. Va provided at
mosphere' by appearing in miners
| garb.
Toland Reads Case.
Edmund M. Toland chief COM
lilttee counsel. read into the record
chronological account of his
unions case before the N. L. r. B.
10 win recognition for it's new locals.
Inc hrst case. it was brought out,
concerned the Laing mine of the
wyatt Coal Co. of Eskdale, w. Va.
In this case. the witness explained.
tWo-thirds of the 300 men working
IN that mine broke off connections
with the U. M. w. A. and Joined the
Progresslves, but the company re-
IuSeo to recognize the new union.
The case was subsequently appealed
to the National Labor Relations
Board, but the board according to
Mr.. Ozanic, has not yet made a de-
clslon although the case was filed
in 1888.
Mr.. Toland subsequently read
memorandum from Philip G. Phil
lips, regional director for the board
advising IN. W."-the initials of
the board secretary, Nathan Witt
that the U. M. w. A. took the posi-
ton its contract with the Wyatt Co.
prevented any bargaining by the
company with the progressiyes.
Ihls memorandum, Mr.. Toland
explained. was labeled "dismissed''
and initiated "A. R." and IN. w."
Another Case Claimed.
In the case of the Aston Coal Co.
OF Pittsburg, Kans., Mr.. Ozanic said
in July, 1888, a majority of this
company's employees left the U. M.
w. A. to join his organization, but
the company would not recognize
the new group. In retaliation, he
SAID, the company also discharged
some OF the men in the new union,
which led his organization to file
charges with the N. R. L. B. of "un-
fair practices"
The progressive miners petition,
Mr.. Ozanic said, was dismissed in
October. 1888, but was reinstated
without solicitation on our part"
last January. And at a later hear
ing the petition was again dismissed
solely because the company had
given Southwestern association of
coal operators exclusive rights to
bargain with its workers.
To Hear Homer Martin.
The committee plans to hear what
Homer Martin has to say about the
board later on. Mr. Martin, who
has been a spectator at the com.
mittee's hearings for the last two
days, is former president of the
United Automobile Workers, but now
heads the minority American Fed
Grafton Of Labor U. A. w.
Mr.. Martin already has indicated
to newspapermen he would have
plenty" to report about what hs
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