The Wilmington morning star., 1946-06-06
Fair Enough
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
Copyright, by King Features Syndicate, INC.

~ VI wal O o1O
tax and applicable to political purposes, the
poor, dumb soulless COZ operations, as usual,
were hopelessly outpointed in the propaganda.
For all their investment in public relations,
which has come to be an important standard
activity in many industries and individual
companies, the unions nowadays generally
keep beWildered defendants off balance and
outclamor them, even when the companies
have the answers and, if quick at repartee,
could top the unions arguments and win popu-
lar decisions. The reason is that the unions
are the sggressors and the companies are so
busy blocking and ducking, and not too well,
either, and trying to do business that they
neglect their counter-punching and almost
never lead.
In this controversy the miners propaganda
smothered the industry with insinuations that
the dangers of mining, which are inherent in
the dreary business and will always be pres
ent in some degree, were all chargeable to
corporate greed and Indifference to the well
fare of the men and their families. 1t is a
miserable trade and the man whose work is
done on the surface or even at sea or In
the air is awed and secretly frightened even
to visit enc of these awful holes and marvels
at the unconcern with which working miners
and executives accept the risks of gas ex-
plosions, falling rock and flood, and Chamber
on ladders above almost bottomless depths.
But, being nonchalant, the miners them
selves actually are responsible for many of
the CHASTITY explosions and fires which oc-
casionally bring repetition of those mournfully
descriptive stories and news pictures o.
women and children budding around impro-
vised morgues and first aid stations while
miners who were off duty or got away 60
down TO get the survivors and the dead.
The most understanding authority on these
terrible things that I know of is Frank Wal
lace, an Ohio boy who went to Notre Dame
instead of to the mines, worked a few years
as a sport writer in New York, became a
Hollywood scenarist, and went back to his
home town and turned out a book called "Ex-
plosion'' which told the story of the miners
life with sympathy but without mawkishness
Wallace knows miners as people, not the
masses" or the common man. and treats
them with dignity rather than patronizing
pity, and a reading of Explosion will give
you a view of their character and Ike that
can't be derived from Eleanor Roosevelts
condescending political platitudes or the pro-
fessional exploitation Of their virtues and
problems presented by John Lewis.
For more than 100 years, smoking and open
lights have been the important causes OF dis
astrous mine explosions.
Is that the irresponsible statement of a self
appointed pundit who knows nothing about the
subject, meaning me?
No., that is direct quote from a document
published by the United States Bureau OF
Mines in January, 1941, entitled Explosions
in Coal Mines Caused by Smoking
More or less unconsciously and from sheer
force of habit, human beings do many things
they probably would not do if the possible
consequences were fully recognized and ap-
preciated," the story begins. This is a nice
little political bow to the miners but incorrect
because the circular soon admits that the
miners who smoke and cause disasters do
know the possible consequences.
Smoking the report continues, has been
the cause or the suspected cause Of many
gas explosions and black powder %ignitions.
Likewise many fires in both coal and metal
mines, causing loss of life. have been started
by smoking. OF 100 explosions in Alabama
mines, 1853 per cent have been caused by
open lights and smoking. Pennsylvania anth-
racite mines have experienced 80 such ex-
plosions. Open lights and smoking have been
the cause of ignition in 1871 per cent OF the
fatalities due to explosions listed in the
records. However, during the period 1881 to
1887, fatalities from explosions due to these
causes have been reduced about % per cent"
Citing cases. the document reports that nine
men we're killed in one explosion at the scene
of which cigarettes, tobacco and burned
match stems were found. Nevertheless the
company was criticized for ga deplorable lack
of discipline" a comment which will arouse
ironic feelings in company executives who
ironic feelings IN company executives who
have tried to impose even the mildest re-
straints on defiant workers under union pro-
lection.
In January, 1910, 81 men were killed at
Barley, West Va. Two cigarettes were found
and the Bureau of Mines insists that there
was good reason for strong suspicion that
smoking was involved in this disaster"
The miners, themselves, have made it nee
essary that they be searched for matches and
smoking materials and the report describes
SLY smuggling tricks such as concealment in
lunch buckets, in thermos bottles supposed to
contain coffee, in sandwiches and in hidden
pockets of the underwear Nevertheless, the
bureau says She supervisory force must bear
a share of thx byTden of enforcing the pro-
visions oA state laws and company rules"
THE co-workers OF surreptitious smokers
also have a responsibility which h ey are
seldom inclined to assume the bureau found
and. in closing, mentioned ''the prevalence,
of such violations. The effect of the whole
report is an admission that in order tn abolish
this danger utterly the soulless cornorations
would have to search the clothins and bod;er
of these sensitive American workroen IN q
manner as degrading as that emn1ovod ~ +ha
diamond mines OF Africa. Thereupon. Of
course, the operators would find themseives
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