Anthracite

The strike of the miners in the anthracite coal fields in Pennsylvania, called because the wage contract with the Union had expired on Aug. 31 and no new contract could be agreed upon, continued another week without any progress and practically without any effort made to end it.

There were a few incidents:

1) The miners received their pay for their work during the last two weeks in August--the only pay they will receive until after mining is resumed. The total pay distributed to the 157,400 men was $15,600,000--the largest amount ever disbursed as wages by the industry in one payment, showing how production was speeded in the final fortnight, as the men desired to have extra cash for the coming lean weeks. On every pay check the operators had printed:

We are sorry that the calling of this unnecessary strike means that most of the employes receiving this due bill will not be sure of receiving another when the next Pay day comes around.

Every day this Strike goes on, more than $1,700,000 in wages will be lost to the mine workers.

The coal we should be producing is being rep laced by substitutes, mostly bituminous coal from non-union mines. Must our industry always be the "goat" of soft troubles?

There was no need for a suspension. There was no good reason why there should be a strike while effort was being made to negotiate a new agreement.

Say what you please, impartial arbitration is the fairest way to settle disputes. Our differences will in the end be arbitrated in one way or another. Why not now before there is more loss in wages and the market for anthracite goes to other fuels!

2) It was reported that many miners were being employed by Pennsylvania farmers to get in their crops, digging their potatoes, etc. Many of the miners took their pay in kind, stocking up with vegetables for the winter.

3) At Boston, a meeting of the New England Emergency Fuel Committee was held. Governor Duller of Massachusetts and Governor Winant of New Hampshire were present, and the other New England Governors sent representatives. John Hays Hammond, who was Chairman of the late U. S. Coal Commission (1920-23) which drafted a survey of the industry and made recommendations for preventing strikes, was elected Chairman of the New England Committee. Plans were laid for educating the New England public to the use of bituminous coal. Said Mr. Hammond:

"It is most important to have people understand that the use of bituminous coal is not advocated merely because an emergency exists. I see nothing but high prices in the future in the anthracite fields. The use of bituminous is important not only for the moment but for the future. This the public should understand and appreciate. When this realization reaches the anthracite district, the operators and miners will get together. If not, they will commit industrial suicide--a thing which they have almost done now."

4) Governor Pinchot of Pennsylvania invited Major Inglis, leader of the operators, and John L. Lewis, leader of the miners, to confer with him separately. He denied that he attempted to effect a settlement in his conferences with them. Said he: "It is not only right but necessary that the Governor of Pennsylvania should keep himself informed;" and also: "Because of the number of States affected the anthracite coal strike is a national question, and I respect the right of the President of the United States to speak the first word."

*Among the chief recommendations of the Commission were: 1) that a permanent fact-finding body be set up to give continuous publicity to the condition of the industry so that an intelligent public opinion may be brought to bear against any party causing a strike without justification; 2 ) That the President be empowered to take over the coal mines in an emergency.