Evening star., 1949-12-30
By Robert J. Drake ond Bill Todd
ha,+h A,erron Nswsnoper Alliance

by k0Dert }. Droke ono Dill iouu
North American Newspaper Alliance
MURRAY CITY, Ohio, Dec. 30
Hooking County commu-
nifty of 1000, hemmed in by hills
whose coal veins are playing out
dreams wistfully of the days only
three months ago when there was
a welfare check for nearly every
body.
1T wrecked u.s." said a mer-
chant Of the early demise OF the
miners welfare and retirement
fund.
Murray City was a welfare state
In miniature.
A reliable civic spokesman esti-
mated 80 per cent of the entire
population existed on one form OF
another of welfare money-State
old-age pension or compensation
Federal social security. or, mainly
miners welfare.
When the miners fund was &C.
tivated, men who had left the
mines a decade or two ago quit
their new jobs, swung picks a
week or two, reinstated themselves
in the union and settled down to
a life of ease. State aid was
surrendered in favor of the more
lucrative union welfare.
A man in his early 30s applied
for and got welfare to the tune
of $3.50 a month-$60 for himself,
$40 for his wife and $40 for each
Of his eight dependent children.
The town grocer one night found
himself with $4,000 in checks. all
but SO of it welfare money.
A fraternal organization. whose
charter provides for disability and
sick benefits. suddenly awoke to
the fact that it was astride a
powder keg and passed the word
on down through the membership
that qualifying for miners welfare
did not necessarily make one
sick man.
Then came the bust. The well
fare checks stopped coming, and
the 52-day strike started.
No Imaginary Cases Needed.
When John L. Lewis finally de-
clared the November truce, i've
of the most severe sets of in.
drmities ever to wrench a dollar
out of the welfare fund sprane
out of their sick beds and begar
mining furiously. and they are
still at it.
This was the picture painted
for us by miners themselves, full
of resentment that their cherished
retirement fund was. squandered
Actually, no imaginary cases Of
need are required to make a case
for this town and hundreds like
it. Before last month Murray
City's main mine had worked 81
days since the first of the year
The strike and the three day week
were a roundabout benefit in that
they opened a market for low
grade coal.
The same conditions exist, to q
greater or lesser degree. up and
down Monday Creek, which il
"the next holler over" from Sun.
day Greek.
In Buchtel a miner complained
that bosses all their lives" had
obtained union cards as q pre-
liminary qualification for welfare
and pension benefits when the
fund started dishing out. Another
miner told us that the towns well
fare cases had been averaging one
day Of work every two weeks be-
fore they came into their good
fortune.
At several stops workers ex-
pressed interest In the pension
views Of Senator Taft, Republi-
can, Of Ohio.
Bob Taft Is 4 big man down
here" q miner said.
At his home in Carbon Hill. q
few miles south Of here, Davey
Christian. a district field repre-
sentative Of the United Mine
Workers, outlined the basic re-
quirements for participation in
fund benefits and acknowledged
that complaints Of abuse were
rife throughout the district.
New Regulations Expected.
Personally. I am satisfied that
new regulations will be made and
there won't be 50 many on welfare
when it starts up again." Mr..
Christian said.
He pointed out that physicians
had wide latitude in determining
whether applicants should receive
welfare.
But each local has the right
to ask for an investigation Of
cases believed to be Ineligible" he
added.
We were told In several COM
munities that such Investigations
had been launched and that free
riders" had been reported to dis
trict headquarters.
Mr.. Christians son, Leonard,
secretary of a local near Nelson