Evening star., 1946-11-24
Object Lesson Seen
In 1919 Coal Strike
Better Informed Public, Earlier
Preventive Action Needed

Better Informed Public, Earlier
Preventive Action Needed
By Claude Watts.
fMr. Watts. local Driter, serped
as chief, Diuision OF Investigation,
National War Labor Board, World
Wnr I. and is co-auttor OF "The In
dustrial Code"
Since we have had the problem Of
coal strikes with us in acute and recur-
rent forms for almost three decades
ever since World War lit may help to
dispel some Of the darkness in the
present situation If light is turned on
what happened in connection with one
of the earlier of those controversies.
That was the bituminous coal strike
OF November, 1919. when John L. Lewis
was first swinging into the saddle as the
militant leader of the miners-was the
acting president and soon was to become
| president Of the United Mine Workers
| of America.
It is important to note that the 1919
controversy was anything but simple.
It included a denial Of the principle Of
collective bargaining not then right,
as it was to become later under the
Wagner Act-as well as the breaking OF
q contract agreement between employer
and employed. a dizzying wage increase
demand, shorter hours In the unprec-
edented demand for a 3o-hour week,
and invasion of the public's rights
through the closing down of basic
industry
When the bituminous miners went on
strike the general public's knowledge Of
the situation was limited to few OUT
| standing facts: First, the strike was in
violation of contract which had yet
some months to run; second, the miners
were asking SO per cent increase in
wages and 6-hour day, 5-day week;
| third, the coal strike would aggravate
the. serious industrial situation brought
about by strike then under way in the
steel industry, and, fourth, the country
was facing winter with an immediate
and exceedingly realistic coal shortage
~
In the circumstances, 1t was not sur
| prising that the public could see little
or no merit in the miners cause, and
that there was hue and cry for drastic
action by the Government to cope with
the problem. Something had to be
done"
The one-time Fuel Administration,
which had been dissolved, was re-
established temporarily to regulate the
prices and distribution Of coal. Officials
and leaders of the miners were arrested
for alleged violation of the Lever Act.
The union was enjoined from using its
funds to carry on the strike, and, under
pressure of public opinion and the
Federal authorities, the operators and
miners were forced to agree to arbitrate
their differences. President Wilson ap-
pointed an arbitration commission. and
the strike was called of, but the miners
did not return to work promptly.
After prolonged hearings and delibera-
tions the arbitration commission award
ed the miners a 81 per cent wage boost
The wage increase added about 40
cents ton to the cost Of producing coal,
but the price to the consumer was In
N4CdcGu 44O0l 4lVC w bCl1 bLll1CS tlldt
amount Immediately after the fixed
prices of the Fuel Administration were
withdrawn.
Thus it is seen that in this 27-year-old
case the public was the only real loser
perhaps deservedly so-and that from
that example lesson is to be learned
that might well be useful in the present.
4 Hou onx ftyft t,I eit
ton. In the first place, the public then
as now had not realized that in dealing
with labor controversies an ounce of
prevention is worth many pounds of
cure. The Fuel Administration and
the War Labor Board had been per-
mitted to pass out Of existence, and while
public opinion was potent factor In
the ex post facto emergency action
that was taken, 1t was far from WELL
informed public opinion.
With proper agencies in existence,
operating under procedures and prin-
ciples which guaranteed justice and fair
dealing to the miners, to the operators,
and to the public, public opinion and
pressure from governmental authorities
might have forced the miners and oper-
ators to agree to arbitrate without haz-
arding a shutdown of the industry.
In the second place, a national tri-
bunal armed with inquisitofial powers
fact finding, If you please-would have
been conducting an investigation of the
controversy from its inception, and the
public would have been informed as to
the exact facts and all the facts, and
their bearing on the claims Of both sides.
In that event, the public would have
| learned that the miners had been
working for two years, during period
| Of constant and rapid advances in the
cost Of living, without any wage increase
| at all and at q wage that was recognized
| as inadequate to meet the cost Of living.
| 1t would have learned that the original
| War Labor Board had laid down the
| rule that neither party to such con-
tract could be held to 1t If changing
conditions had made its terms mani
| festly unjust, and that an inadequate
| wage resulting from changing conditions
was sufficient cause for abrogating such
contract.
| Also, the public would have learned
that the 1917 wage agreement was pred
? icated upon governmentally fixed prices
for coal, and that not only had gov
eminent prices been withdrawn but the
price, fixing machinery had been scrap
/ ped and the War Labor Board had fold
i ed There was no agency tn which the