complaint, took evidence from the driver and a digger in the next room, and found, inasmuch as there was no difference in the turn at the end of the day, that no injustice had been done him. He seemed satisfied to let the matter rest.

Oct. 25. Saw the Top boss and asked him to replace some broken windowpanes in the washhouse. Also to repair the chain and weight on the washhouse door, so that it would close automatically. I found on coming out of the mine this evening that it had been done. Oct. 27. This morning took up with C the matter of tools not being properly sharpened. Too soft. He promised to take it up with the blacksmith. He protested that the blacksmith was expert in his line and could not understand the complaint. We also took up the matter of men not reaching their working-places by starting-time.

[In answer to our question about the Pit Committee, Mr. Wieck wrote: 'The Pit Committee is a grievance committee. Each mine under the jurisdiction of the miners' organization has its own Pit Committee, elected by the men employed at that mine and composed of men actually working in or around the mine. Ordinarily three men compose the Pit Committee. When a dispute arises between an individual miner and the mine manager and no settlement is reached, the miner refers the case to the Pit Committee, which is the first step in a long series of courts set up for the adjustment of grievances in the unionized coal industry. . . ... In the handling of the case by the Pit Committee and the mine manager, the dispute is frequently settled on a basis of common-sense and reasonableness.' EDITOR]

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Nov. 2.- The Sub-Dist. Pres. was on the job at eight o'clock along with the Asst. Supt. . . . Then appeared the Operators' Commissioner and our Board member along with the Gen. Supt. Their purpose was to review

a number of cases which had been referred up to them and which had originated under the old committee. The first was a case of 'Bad-Eye,' who was claiming an additional four hours for rock-cleaning over and above what had been paid him. 'Bad-Eye' is a contentious individual who learned to dig coal in Iowa, where it is mostly hard grubbing, and cannot properly oppose his opponent without bringing some hate into it.

The next case was Check 58 and 59, involving fifty-three hours for cleaning slate. At the request of the Board member I had telephoned into the mine and gotten these two young fellows out to testify. In the hearing of the previous case I had kept one ear open for the signal bells in the engine-room, which could be heard from where we were, and hearing the signal to hoist men, I met them at the pit-head and gave them some advice on what to say and how to say it, when to talk and when not to talk. One young fellow of nineteen or thereabouts proved an excellent witness. It is generally dangerous to bring our people before the Commissioner in such cases, stage fright often operating against their interests. This Commissioner is noted for his bulldozing tactics and rapid-fire questioning, which many times confuse and discomfit even committeemen if they be not well experienced.

This youth told a straightforward story of the two of them having worked on this fall for three full days and a part of the fourth, doing no other work. This according to the contract would entitle them to the amount of time they claimed. C claimed that, according to the measurements of the fall, they should have cleaned it in forty hours.

The Commissioner in pursuance of his usual tactics snapped at the boy: 'Did you work at it all the time?' He

replied that he did. 'Stop for dinner?' 'Long enough time to eat it.' 'Did n't stop for lunch, nine or half past?' 'No.' 'Did n't stop for lunch?' 'No!' very emphatically. "I said, No.'

The Commissioner digressed. He said, 'I knew an old fellow some thirty years ago that never ate anything in the mine until dinner-time. Him and you two are the only three coal-diggers I ever heard of that did n't stop for a mid-morning lunch.'

The Board member spoke up: 'I never ate lunch in the mine in my life.'

'By God, then you're a fourth one.' His purpose was obvious, but he failed to fluster the boy. I then asked the lad if the stuff that had fallen was easily broken up.

'I'll say not!' was his answer. 'What did you break it with?' I asked him.

"Twenty-pound hammer, furnished by the company.'

The usual six- or eight-pound hammer used by the miner would have made no impression on this slate, and obviously the twenty-pound hammer was proof that there was work to be done there besides moving it, which had been the only thing taken into consideration in arriving at the conclusion that forty hours was sufficient for the removal of this fall.

The Board member then asked the question: 'Was there any boss showed up in your place during the three days and a part of the fourth day that you were working on this fall?' When the lad answered, No, the wise old Commissioner looked at C- with his tongue in his cheek; said in a deploring tone, 'God, there'd ought to have been!'

the condition of his mule by one of the drivers. The mule this driver said-was unfit to be taken out of the barn, had been worked too hard and continuously; and that it was a shame to treat a dumb brute in that manner. He wound up by saying, 'By God, I won't take him out! I don't give a damn what you do!'

The mine manager told him to take the mule and do what work he could with him; that he had asked the company for more mules but had not yet received them; and that he intended to take this mule out when he got the new ones. This failed to pacify Rosa, and upon seeing us, he appealed: 'I don't have to take this damn mule out, do I? It's a damn shame and disgrace. The Humane Society ought to be notified.'

I answered: "Since you asked me, I am telling you that as long as there is no danger to your health in handling the mule, you are supposed to take any mule that the company provides for you. Do what work you can with him, and if he lays down on you, sit alongside of him until he gets up. You are not supposed to abuse him unduly to get him to work.'

'Well,' he said, 'can't I notify the Humane Society?' and I told him: "Your duties and rights as a citizen to report this matter are not abrogated by the contract, but your job obligates you to drive that mule.' He went to the barn very reluctantly.

I know that the boss does n't like to work a mule like that, and that the driver's acts showed that he did n't want to, and I am sure that the committee did not want to; but still he was worked. Someone sitting in a swivelchair somewhere was to blame.

signed for $50 during the strike last year. I told him that he knew we had no power to compel payment, which he admitted, but that if the opportunity presented itself, I would do what I could to have the man pay the note. . .

In coming out of the mine this evening and looking over the fines for dirty coal, I found one, Check 167, marked 'aggravated case,' which probably will mean discharge. It consisted of three large lumps of coal, one weighing nearly two hundred pounds, one about a hundred, the other less, with an inchand-a-half streak of blue-band through the middle of each. On my way over to the washhouse, a digger remarked to me, 'You'll have a hell of a time gettin' that fellow's job back.' I agreed there was little chance, considering the amount of dirt. Upon inquiry I learned that he was a new man who had just started that morning, and while making coal had loaded that single box. Well, we'll take it up in the morning.

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Nov. 14. Check 80 complained to us that his buddy, Check 163, did not give him a square deal in checking the cars in rotation; that his buddy had 12 cars more than him, last pay, and was 14 cars ahead of him this pay. We knew that Check 80 was not altogether bright, so we called him and his buddy and the check-weighman into conference. We learned from the checkweighman that 163 had no more cars than the turn of that entry, and that 80 had gone home early several days, thereby running behind the turn. Check 163 complained vigorously about 80 not doing his share of work in the room, and for that reason falling behind. We lectured them both and told them that it was up to them to work together to each other's best advantage and to get along. We told them we expected them to do this and wanted to hear no further complaints, as the

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committee had more important work of disputes with the company. . . . Tonight after work there were rumors in the washhouse that the company was bankrupt and that there would be no pay-day to-morrow. I could find no head to the rumors and scoffed them. Nov. 15.- When I arrived at the mine this morning, before the men started into the mine a man walked up to me and said, 'The Top boss says, no checks to-day." Better look into it.' I sought the Top boss and asked him about it. 'Oh, yes,' he said, 'there'll be checks, after work.' This was changing the custom, which had permitted men to get their checks before work if they so desired. As the company was well within the contract in giving the checks out at quitting-time, I let it go and told the men I was informed the checks would be there that evening. After I had changed clothes I got Gumme and Bad-Eye and went to the mine manager, telling him of the rumors and asking him what he knew about them. He Isaid that as far as he knew the checks would be there that evening, and laughingly remarked, 'If the checks don't come, I guess I'll lose more than any of the rest of you, as mine would n't come either. . . .

There was a lot of talk all through the mine to-day about whether or not the checks would be at the mine at quitting-time. I doubt whether many had much heart for their work, as the pay to be received that evening and the two weeks' regularly held back constituted a month's hard labor. When I got out of the mine at 3.30, some thirty or forty men were waiting at the office and told me the checks were not yet there. After I had washed and changed clothes, Gumme and I sought the clerk and asked him, "What's the matter with the checks?' He seemed quite flustered, but insisted that he was going over to the other mine with his machine

in a short time to get them. He did, and to the great relief of the men, they began paying off shortly after four o'clock. The failure of a number of coal companies to pay in recent months has made men very uneasy. In fact, a nearby mine of another company failed to pay to-day.

Nov. 16. Talked to the mine manager this morning about the paychecks. He said that on account of a number of circumstances, the matter had been balled up; that he expected the checks to be there earlier next payday. All the rumor and talk, however, had had its effect, and quite a number of men came to me asking what could be done toward having the pay-roll guaranteed. I told them that I would get in touch with the Sub-District President and see what could be done. I was unable to get him on the telephone to-night and will try again to-morrow. Nov. 17. The mine manager was in my place this morning and we informally discussed the matter of companies defaulting pay-rolls. Among other things he said, 'Situations like that put a boss in a bad hole. He has nothing to do with and knows nothing about the financial end of the business. He can't tell the men they will get their checks when he does n't know, and obviously he can't tell them they won't.' We discussed also the new mine this company has recently sunk and into which they have put about a million dollars, and in which things don't seem to be going right. It is now shut down.

Called up the Sub-District President to-night, explaining this pay-roll situation to him. He agreed that something should be done toward guaranteeing pay-rolls generally. He said he would lay our matter before the District office and see what could be done. I will see that he does not procrastinate. Nov. 19.-There being no work on ac

count of a motor being broken, I went to the sub-district office and went over the entire pay-roll matter with the President. He admitted the seriousness of the situation and said that he had made arrangements to meet the District Vice President in St. Louis on Wednesday, the District President being in the hospital.

Nov. 20. After consulting with the rest of the committee, I called a meeting of the men at the mine in the washhouse before going down to work, and told them what had been done in the pay-roll matter and of the conference arranged for in St. Louis. It was voted that I attend that meeting.

Nov. 21. Went to St. Louis this morning with the Sub-District President to meet the District Vice President, to see what could be done toward having the company guarantee our pay with a surety bond or some such device. The V. P. seemed inclined to the belief that the company, through their peculiar methods of finance, was probably in a bad way, but did not seem to know just what should be done. After quite a bit of talk it was decided that the Sub-District President and myself should call upon the President of the company. On the telephone this gentleman declined to make an appointment 'to meet a committee,' when informed that a committeeman from the Warren mine would accompany the Sub-District President. When asked if he had any objections if the committeeman accompanied the Sub-Dist. Pres., he said the SubDistrict officer should come without an appointment, and in that way he would not know who was coming. I have yet to fathom the purpose of this grandiose gesture.

Upon arriving at his office the girl at the telephone, after the Sub-District President's name was announced, asked us to wait a few minutes. After five

minutes or so the President ushered a caller out down the corridor and welcomed us with a hearty, 'Come on in, Pete,' to the Sub-District President. While being introduced and shaking hands with me, he must have scrutinized me as closely as I did him, for as we sat down his first remark was, glancing at my gray flannel shirt: 'You've stolen my shirt.' I told him I may have stolen it, but it cost me $3.50.

He said his cost him $3.85. It was his Sunday shirt, he explained. 'I shave and dress up every morning during the week, but let the shaving go and put on my flannel shirt on Sunday. That is my day. I don't go to church, although I don't think anybody can be harmed going to church. There are no bad influences there. I am saying all this not knowing what church you men belong to. What church do you belong to, Pete?'

Laughing, Pete replied, 'Let's seeI think I was in a Methodist church the last time. Every time I go I want to debate with the preacher, although I have never had that opportunity.'

He looked at me. 'What church do you belong to?'

'I belong to the big one,' I answered. He looked a little embarrassed, and thinking that perhaps he took me for a Roman Catholic, I added, "The one that has the most members - I attend none.'

With that, he lit a long cigar and said, 'Well, boys, what brought you?'

The Sub-District President opened up by telling him that he was doubtless aware of the various coal companies recently defaulting the miners' payroll, and told him that there were considerable rumors at the Warren mine that the company was in a bad way financially.

'Yes, I've heard about that. Know who started the rumors and why they were started.'

I said, 'You may know. I did my best to find out their head, but was unable to do so. I wish I knew who started them and why. If we did, the men might feel easier about their money.' Looking straight at him, I went on: 'When they were first started, I thought their purpose was to boost the sticker market."1

He pulled hard on his cigar. In fact by now it never left his face, his left hand holding it close to his mouth between puffs. He seemed disturbed, although his rapid smoking was the only evidence. After studying awhile he remarked: 'I won't spend thirty cents to bond that pay-roll. In fact, I have been studying whether or not to shut those three mines down. We can buy coal in the open market cheaper than we can produce it.'

'You can buy it pretty damn cheap if you can buy it cheaper than you can produce it at the Warren mine,' I remarked.

'Well, we can,' he answered. (I still doubt this, as I am convinced that coal is produced more cheaply at that mine than at any mine in the state of Illinois.) 'Our properties,' he went on, 'will appraise two million dollars.'

The Sub-District President asked if that were a 1923 appraiser.

'No,' he said, 'I have deducted a million and a half. They did appraise three and a half million.'

'How about encumbrances?' asked the Sub-Dist. Pres.

'I was coming to that,' he replied. 'We have three hundred thousand dollars on them. I don't think it's right to ask us to bond the pay-roll, and we don't intend to do it. The men can quit or go on strike or do as they please for all that we care'; and he repeated

1'Stickering' is discounting wages and drawing them in advance of the regular pay-day. This practice is forbidden by laws of the miners' union and the contract with the operator. - THE AUTHOR