The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-07
Fair Enough
Nv wEsrBRooK PEGLER

NEW YORk.-AlLnouSH Vie .o'e ~ =
Roosevelt robustly enjoyed TO Droaoeds1 1le
,,r;,.+e h,,sinesc affairs of other citizens, es-
necia1lv the sources of their income, retro
spect has developed the fact that ne was al
WAYS secretive about his own investments ana
| profits. Mrs. Roosevelt, in all her Wrltlnss'
| has given hardly hint OF the business III,
terests which enabled so many RooseVeNs ana
Delanos, for generations, to live IN oaronlai
state without work in the common man ull'
Outstanding of the word.
Il has been established, however, that
Franklin D. Roosevelt was once one OF the
owners OF company-toWn, company s'oie
coal property at Vintondale, Pa, and mat MS
uncle, Frederic Delano, for nine years chalr-
man of the National Resources Planning
Board, at good salary by his nephew's ap-
pointrnent, and numerous other Delanos had
an interest in the same property. At last re-
ports these Delanos still had this interest
From a source close to the United Mine
Workers I have received some memoranda
| on the Vintonda1e mine and a similar mine
at Graceton, in the adjoining county, In Penn
sylvaia. Slightly edited in the interests OF
brevity and for other reasons but without dis
tortion, the accounts follow:
1.-THE mine at Vintondale, Pa, owned by
| the same interests as the Graceton Coal Com
pany, is known as the Vintondale Collery
Company and is located in Cambria County,
| IS miles north of Johnston. Work was begun
in 1902. The town consists of 225 houses which
are in very rundown condition. On an aver
| age there have been 400 men employed.
| "rhis mine paid dividends on an over-capi-
talized condition for many years. In 1889. the
United Mine Workers secured $4,000 back
wages due and resulted in reopening the mine
which is prospecting at present.
1.-THE UNIV. in 1914 conducted a seven
month strike to organize the mine but failed.
A chief so-called guard on a horse, patrolled
| the only roadway leading into the community.
In 1919 and again in 1922 efforts were made
to organize.
1.-THE district union many years ago sue
ceeded in buying a 40 by 60 plot of ground
facing the large company store In 1922,
meeting was advertised to take place on the
lot. Immediately the coal company secured
| an Injunction stopping the meeting. The Civil
Liberties Union became interested and Arthur
Garfield Hayes came from New York. Months
Of litigation ensued and resulted in the morale
Of the men being broken. They returned to
work, non-union.
I'm both cases lat Vintonda1e and Grace
toni the coal companies controlled the polltl-
cal situation was the result that they con-
trolled the schools, the churches and the local
administration of law. Armed guards patrolled
the town. No discussion of the merits OF the
union was permitted and anyone who dared
to violate this rule was Immediately dis
charged and evicted on seven-days' notice.
I'm 1898. in the wave of organization, this
town and mine became organized overnight.
Once the fear Of the guards was removed
the men Immediately joined. They have since
been good members.
"The miners here were compelled to trade
at the company stores until 1888 or While
they were unorganized.
"These coal companies had. financial diff
ficulties in 1889 not because of the wages
paid Or of working conditions of the union
contract but because of the top-heavy capt.
talization, admitted to in conference by Mr..
Delano. During World War l. these mines
paid dividends of over 100 per cent.
"The Graceton Coal Company opened a
mine in 1894 and built town of approximate
~ 100 houses, most of them double houses,
and few single houses for the officials. The
town was called Graceton. large company
store was erected where the miners were
compelled TO buy their necessities at high
prices. Efforts of the UNIV to organize this
mine were always resented by the coal COM
pany. Armed guards encouraged espionge
among the men.
| Throughout the years 280 men were en-
ployed, on the average.
The UNIV. struck this mine in 1916, 1915
and 1922, without success.
The company paid higher yardage rate
(of which there was little yardage) than its
neighboring union mines but had no check
weghman and paid on a car basis. This was
the only mine paying in this manner in central
Pennsylvania. The UNIV. organized this
mine in 1888. The mine had scales at its
tipple and the union had to give it two
weeks grace period SO that scales to weigh
the coal cOr1d he installed
1.-THE union secured so per cent increase
Immediately over the IS cents a car paid
for a two-ton car of coal while the scales
were being placed.
| ANYONE prior to 1888 who was found dis
cussing working conditions was Immediately
discharged. The company controlled the votes
| to elect a justice of the peace whom the
| superintendent usually selected. Anyone who
complained that he did not get justice was
| discharged.
Before 1885, anyone, strangers in particu-
lar, had to discuss his business with the mine
superintendent before he was permitted to en-
| ter the town. The town was patroled by
armed guards with Sam Browne belts filled
with cartridges. A public road ran through
| the town.
| 'In 1889 the union guaranteed the men that
| they would not be discharged if they joined.
This had to be done to remove the fear i'm
pressed on the men"
Our press and the republicans were griev-
ously rerniss in their failure to inform the
public of Mr.. Roosevelt's and the Delanos'
financial interest in these properties and the