i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org

28 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
required it. The court overruled this demurrer
also and the case
WILL HAVE TO BE TRIED.
On December 7, 1904, another suit was filed by
this company against the Mine Workers for $491,-
000 for damages to that date and covering the
period since the first suit was begun.
Another effort to mulct the organization in damages
is being made by an attorney names Wales.
of Binghamton. N. Y.
During the anthracite strike an attorney named
Wales, of Binghamton, N. Y.. came to me
and offered some suggestions which he claimed
to believe would assist in settling the strike. The
plans he proposed did not appeal to me as being
at all practicable and were therefore rejected.
However, after the strike was over Mr. Wales
opened correspondence with me as to the amount
of a bill which he desired to present. Not wishing
to have any controversy with him, I proposed to
allow him the sum of fifty dollars for his alleged
services and suggested to him that if he would
send me a bill for fifty dollars, a check for that
amount would be mailed him at once. A short
time thereafter, while passing through the city of
Buffalo, I was served with a notice summonirg
me to appear in court at Binghamton to defend a
suit for $200,000. We have employed attorneys
and are prepared to defend the case when it comes
up for trial.
It may not be amiss at this time to call your
attention to the fact that one year from next
April our joint agreements expire in practically
every coal-producing district—both bituminous
and anthracite—in the United States. Reference
to the reports of commercial agencies and trade
journals seems to indicate an approaching revival
of business and a period of industrial activity.
If these predictions are realized, we should
be able to
REGAIN THE Loss IN WAGES
sustained one year ago and to improve conditions
of employment in those districts in wliich no reductions
were forced upon us. It is, of course,
unnecessary to say that our ability to make further
advancement—or even to retain our present
standard of living and wages—will depend in no
small degree, upon the strength and solidarity of
our union and in making preparations for that
time, we should not only strive with all our energies
to perfect our organization numerically, but
we should also make provision for the maintenance
of our people should we be so unfortunate
as to become involved in a strike.
I am, of course, hopeful that we shall be able
to reach a satisfactory settlement upon the expiration
of our present contracts, but, nevertheless.
there is always the possibility of disagreement;
and as far as I am personally concerned I have
determined that—under normal conditions—the
present scale of wages, the present standard of
living among the eoal miners of this country shall
never be lowered with my consent. There are
times when workmen are called upon to and
should share in the loss of profits which follows
periods of industrial depression, but there is a
standard below which men cannot maintain them.
selves and their families, and below this point
the wages of organized workmen cannot be permitted
to fall.
A reference to the financial report of your secretary-treasurer
will impress you more forcibly than
any words of mine could do. with the necessity of
providing funds for the maintenance of strikes.
In the words of Washington. "To be prepared for
war is one of the most effectual means of preserving
peace." And you should bear in mind that
those organizations which are best prepared for
strikes are called upon least frequently to engage
in them. Years ago it was customary, when
strikes were engaged in. for those involved to
depend upon their own resources and it was rare,
indeed, tnat the organization was called upon to
furnish
FUNDS TO MAINTAIN A STRIKE
that lasted for less than four or five months; but
as things are now a strike is no sooner inaugurated
than a demand is made for financial relief.
This is especially true of the unorganized or the
newly organized districts, where many men seem
to believe that they are conferring a greater favor
upon the organization than they are upon themselves
and their families when they make a demand
for increased wages or when they strike in
opposition to a reduction in wages. But whatever
the causes, the strikes that have taken place
during the past few years have established a precedent
which cannot well be departed from, and
when men strike now we are compelled, within
certain limitations, to provide them with the
necessities of life. The funds for this purpose
can come only from one source—unless our membership
provide us with the money we cannot
supply it to those who are on strike. And if we
are to make adequate preparation for our next
interstate convention we must have a large fund
at our disposal so that we may in the interim,
resist any attempts to reduce wages in the outlying
districts or any efforts to weaken the strength
and influence of our union.
In order that our entire membership might be
familiar with the financial affairs of the organization,
a circular letter was sent to each local, so
as to enable the membership to give you such instructions
as were deemed necessary in disposing
of this question. I have no specific recommenda-