AMERICAN LABOUR WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18612, 21 July 1922, Page 5

AMERICAN LABOUR WAR

MAINTENANCE OF ORDER. PRESIDENT’S DECLARATION RESENTED BY MR GOMPERS. /Treat Association—By Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, July 19. In a lengthy telegram to all the Governors of the States, President Harding declares that the responsibility for the maintenance of the nation’s fuel supply and the protection of mining operations must be shared by the State and Federal Governments. The President declares that the Federal Government will pledge them every assistance at its command in the task of the lawful protection and maintenance of order. . Mr Gompers declares that this represents the brandishing of the mailed fist. The War Department is preparing tor strike duty. Should the States be unable to maintain order, the War Department will call out the National Guard if the Regular troops are not sufficient. The Governors of the various States replied to President Harding promising the fullest support in the protection of the mines when they re-open. The Executive Council of the American Federation of Labour called on all organised Labour to assist the railway strikers to win the fight by refusing to do any work which is dropped by the strikers. The mine workers have notified the Government that attempts to re-open the mines under Federal protection will result in a general strike, including engineers, ipumpmen, and other essential workers. A Pittsburg message states that the Western Pennsylvanian mine operators have accepted Mr Harding’s invitation to re-open the mines on Monday under the 1 protection of State police as additional guards. The wage schedule, which was effective in 1917, will be used. —A. and N.Z. Cable. THE HERRIN OUTRAGES. CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES. NEW YORK, July 19. A telegram from Marion (Illinois) • reports that six suits were filed against Williamson County, the scene of the Herrin massacre, for 217,420 dollars damages arising out of the outrages. The coal company’s claims axe the .largest for damage to its mines. Other smaller claims are for the loss of personal property during the rioting.—A. and N.Z. Cable. WELLSBURG RIOTS. FORTY-TWO SUSPECTS ARRESTED. NEW YORK, July 19. Wollsburg reports that 42 suspects were arrested in connection with the'rioting. A coroijer’s jury has begun the inquest, which is expected to last for several days. —A. and N.Z. Cable. THE RAILWAY STRIKE. OUTLOOK MORE HOPEFUL. SPORADIC DISORDERS IN WEST. CHICAGO, July 19. The union leaders, the railway executives, and the Labour Board are uniting in an effort to 1 get the men to work next week. Peace seems nearer by the announcement that the Maintenance Way Union, containing 400,000 workers,_ will negotiate the dispute separately without joining the strike. Meanwhile there have been sporadic disorders throughout the West. They were not serious enough to warrant the use of troops, which axe being held in readiness. —A. and N.Z. Cable. PRESIDENT HARDING’S APPEAL. ATTITUDE OF STATE GOVERNORS. WASHINGTON, July 19. (Received July 20, at 9.55 p.m.) While 18 Governors have replied to President Harding’s request for co-operation, two of that number have refused to accede to his request to use force to protect the mines. The Governor of North Carolina telegraphed that there were no coal mines in the State, but even if there were he would never consent to use force to protect mines which were operated by inexperienced non-union substitute labour. The Governor of Maryland replied that he could not give assent without mature consideration, and he said that a friendly discussion would better assure peace.—A. and N.Z. Cable. [The miners of West Virginia have played a leading part in the strike and in the violence which has followed the trouble. The ooal mined there is the beat in America; the minors are very imperfectly organised, while the owners have commanding power. The strike is a national situation, and both anthracite and bituminous coal regions will be affected. The anthracite (“hard”) ooal mining is confined to an area of 480 square miles in Eastern Pennsylvania Operators and miners axe both highly organised. Failing to reach ah agreement on April 1, after negotiating for a month, all the anthracite mines closed down. “Soft” coal mining is, on the other hand 1 , scattered in patches over 458,000 square miles. The mines are developed to a capacity of at least 200,000,000 tons a year in excess of national requirements. There are, all told, 600,000 minors—employed on the average three-quarter time. The bituminous _(“ soft ”) industry is highly competitive, intensified by quality of cool, freight rates, labour policy. As to the miners, the heart of organised Labour extends from Pittsburg (Perm.) west to Illinois—the organisation _ being 100 per cent., and very loyal, its revenues are large and the treasury is fat. 'West of the l Mississippi River, from lowa to Texas, is a bituminous region, with another strong Labour organisation. Its centre is the Pittsburg Geld of Kansas. The northern States of the Rooky Mountains and Pacific Coast are comparatively unimportant in production. There is also a large area of non-union mines along the Appalacians through West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee down into Alabama Non-union mines are also found in Texas, New Mexico, and Southern Colorado, and up into Utah. During the period of high prices that- began in 1916 the United' Mine Workers made rapid progress. During the war, and immediately after, the Federal Government was conciliatory? At the height of its power, 1919, the union could shut down mines representing 72 per cent, of the output of the country. At the present time the percentage is not above 60 Tho Miners* Union has had a successful record. It has followed the method of two-year contracts. There are two or three important factors in the trouble. First is tho complete separation of segregation of unionists and non-unionists. _ They are rarely mixed in tho same district. The mines north of the Potomac and Ohio Rivera are organised’; the mines south are non-union. Tho difference is duo (o geography and civilisation. It is worth noting also that tho unionised mines lio nearest the markets of consumption, thus giving these mines an advantage in competition, and giving union miners an advantage in their strike.]