The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1951-05-17
Governor Replies
To Charges of Union
Mine Official
Crellin Company Officials Also
Give Figures To Offset
Statements

John T. Jones, president of district
16 United Mine Workers of America,
yesterday charged Governor Theo-
dore r. McKeldn disseminated
against 1,6OO Maryland citizens who
are miners without work because
there is no sale for the coal they
mine"
Jones protested by letter against
McKeldin's veto of a bill requiring
state institutions to purchase Mary
land mined coal. He told McKeldin
that he had promised Legislation
which would provide for the purchase
of Maryland mined coal for Mary
land state institutions. Recently you
vetoed just such legislation. You
have tried to justify your failure to
keep your promise by stating that
you did not want to discriminate
against the people of Crellin."
Jones made further statements
which were refuted this morning by
officials of the Crellin mines. Jones
declared: 81 am informed that the
Kray Coal company, mining coal at
Crelin, employs 20 men, of whom 60
percent live in Maryland. | am also
informed that this company pays no
workmen's compensation insurance in
! Maryland, no unemployment insur-
ance in Maryland, in fact, no tax of
any kind on Maryland operation
McKeldin, in replying last night to
Jones, declared that Jones had ere
versed the situation" in his charge.
McKeldin explained that the bill
would have affected the citizens of
Crellin who mine coal just over the
border in a non-union West Virginia
mine. Coal bought from this mine is
considerably cheaper than that bought
from Maryland mines.
McKeldin promised to sign any flu
ture bill which would not "discrimi-
nate against the Maryland citizens of
| Crellin. Mr.. Jones seems to have re-
versed the situation" the governor
said. The discrimination was not in
vetoing of this bill but would have
been in the signing of it-discrimi-
nation against the people of the
Maryland town of Crellin"
McKeldn said he would sponsor
legislation for the benefit of all Mary
land miners.
In replying to the figures supplied
by Jones yesterday, Crellin officials
gave out a few figures of their own.
Stanley Coal company, mining Mary
land coal, has a payroll of lab miners,
office employees and executives and
Z store employees; 1913 of the miners,
all office and store men are residents
of Maryland. Kray coal employees at
its mines 275 miners. -Four buses
are used to transport men from Mary
| land to work in these mines. Buses
average 40 passengers making a total
of 100 men. In addition more than so
men from Maryland transport them
selves by autos to those mines. There
are "a houses in Crellin, rented by
employees. Most employees own homes
in Maryland or rent from Maryland
landlords. Property tax, social secur-
| ity tax and other taxes, according to
records are paid in Maryland. The
Stanley coal pays unemployment
compensation taxes in Maryland.
Operations of the Stanley Coal
company have furnished coal to
Maryland under the administration
of Richie, Nice, and O'Conor, and
have furnished coal to state institu-
tions when it would have not have
been possible for the state to obtain
it from other areas, due to strikes
and other reasons.