THE MINERS' STRIKE.

Evening Star, Issue 14224, 25 November 1909, Page 1

THE MINERS' STRIKE.

TO THE EDITOR. \ buy-The coal "vend" may \cnd (happy \ name for monopoly); it can debar JHfc ' from obtaining cargoes, and impose* its - own conception of preference for unionists. . Ine patent-medicine fakir can play an* .< pranks he pleases with the public (throtiffb/ the medium'of a largo advertisement) Tho % freights to any extent they like (without the intervention of a Conciliation Commit. ' " sioncr or an Arbitration Court), but never'* a word is said by the Press. But when the miner lifts his weary head - .rom Ins incessant and ill-paid toil, and says he wanta-o yarn with those imposing n 2° n .to n, . I1 tl » P«»s get on theu bestspnnb and literally jump on the coal getter with two heavy feet. The coal hwerWwhflS the oommunity stigmatised as an unruly and unholy person. His leaders are traduced brought into contempt, and * ' practically told they are felloe of no account But it was ever thus. Theunfortu- ' note fellow who literally take* his life into ins hands every time he enters the mine workings is always crushed bv the I>ress in addition to the erushings and explosions l he suffers underground. And tho fellow who occupies a comfortable oflico and fixes up vends and such like-Mho runs to risks, _ who lifts a salary big enough to run motor cars and whoso affair, aio well protected by law and,insurance—lie comes in rm? ■ kud <» and commiseiation lie coal producer—the'essential producer ~ of energy-is coolly told to abide by tho law. What Jaw? The law laid down by Judge Heydon and men of his kidney' J.lie coal hewers would be less than human to do anything of the sort, Experience has taught them that the alleged l.w „ a del™ sion and they'll have no more of it labor is -rifled and stifled by the operations of the law. No doubt exists as to the import ance of the miner and his work. By cca* mg operations he can lio up tho whole industrial world. Hasn't ho as good a riirli to cease toil as the other fellow has to create "vends" and raise prices? Let the community realise that principle, and put m their spoke on behalf of tho underground worker. Press fulminations—especially oil inadequate information—go for nothing. All the newspapers may-cease operations' to-morrow and we shouldn't be much distressed. But coal! Ah, that's a different commodity; and the peoplo who win it deserve io get a square deal—and justice 1 i™' eLc /' „. W. BIXCHER. -November 24.