Evening star., 1941-04-21


mula. 1t is for
the mine work. David Lawrence.
ers' union and the Northern op-
orators to give up their demands
for the elimination of the wage
differentials between Northern and
Southern mines. 1t is the only
major thing which blocks a settle
ment. This was no time to have in
jected the differential issue. This
was no time for Northern operators
to have made such a gambling play
as the cleverly devised signing of
an agreement with the unions for a
wake increase in the Northern
mines provided the Southerners
agreed to the wiping out OF the
differential.
When businessmen or union
chiefs take advantage of an emer-
gency to introduce basic changes
not called for at all at this time, it
is necessary to draw the attention
of the public to such tactics. The
wage differential which exists in the
soft coal industry exists also in many
other industries. 1t is relatively
lower in coal than in any other in
dustry. But if the Nation is to en-
bark on a surgical operation on
wage differentials between regions
something which even the N. R. A.
found difficulty in ironing out-the
national defense progress will be
forfeited. Questions so funda-
mental and so controversial as wage
differentials could easily be post
poned a year or so at least till the
end of the war emergency and no
real harm would be done.
Face Economic Disruption.
The Southern mine owners have
offered a wage increase. They have
not failed to meet the desires OF the
miners in almost every way, but
when it comes to wiping out the
wage differential they face economic
disruption. The Southern operators
have a freight rate against them,
too, in trying to compete with North
ern mines. President Roosevelt
vaguely suggested the other day that
something might be done about the
freight situation to benefit the
South, but this is a long, drawn
out procedure and there's no GER
tainty that the Interstate Com
merce Commission would yield to
presidential suggestion on this point
and certainly it takes months for
such a hearing to be fought out.
The coal situation contains prin-
ciple whose application may prove
dangerous to the Nation. Is this the
time for economic reform and ex-
perimentation? Is this the time to
upset wage differentials and bring
about new unionization campaigns
and perhaps in the entire economic
South such labor turbulence as will
delay progress in all its industries?
Once the wage differential is elm
mated in coal, it furnishes basis
for agitation in all other Southern
industries and then turmoil is in
vited. Why can't the Northern op-
orators agree to let the wage diff
ential problem alone for two years
and then reopen it?
1t will be recalled that the wage
differential is an old trade rela-
tionship. 1t was originally 80 cents
a day less than the Northern wags,
scale. In N. r. A. days, after much
deliberation, it was cut down in
1888 to 40 cents and there it has
remained ever since. Just why 1t
should be interjected now is mys-
terry, but evidently the mine work.
ers' chieftains played a shrewd
game. They played on the selfish
interests of competitors when they
promised the Northern operators
that the Southern mines would not
be permitted to reopen unless the
differential was wiped out. These
are the relationships that collec-
tive bargaining has brought. 1t
will hurt that cause immeasurably.
Naturally if the G. I. o. can elimi-
nate wage differentials in coal it
means the start of unionization
drives in everything else in the
South. Why does this particular
moment have to be selected for the
Intrusion of issues that can only
wreck Americas defense program?
Joint Responsibility.
The President and the Secretary
Of Labor have a responsibility for
what is happening. They have in
directly encouraged the present re-
suit, probably being misled into
belief that once the Northern opera
tors and the union came to an agree
ment, the South would have to come
in. But the Southern operators,
who have been pleading that the
issues be taken to the National De-
fense Mediation Board have not seen
1t that way. All along they have
said they couldn't and wouldn't ac-
cept the elimination of wage differ
entails at this time.
The sooner the merit of the South
ern operators plea is recognized the
better it will be for the Nations
fuel supply. Already steel furnaces
are shutting down because of Short
ages of coal. 1t is a situation that
calls for full publicity and in this
the administration could render a
real service, for when the public
knows the facts it will want the
1888 status on wage differentials
maintained and the mines reopened
Rt nnne