Senator GOODING. I will say that the subcommittee heard rumors in regard to an order being issued to clean up soon after we arrived in Pittsburgh. They were only rumors, and we did not follow that up. This matter will be referred to the whole committee. You may proceed. Senator WHEELER. Is there any further cross-examination of Mr. Brundidge at this time? Mr. ROSE. No; if the committee please, I have no further crossexamination at this time. Senator GOODING. You may proceed. TESTIMONY OF JOHN H. JONES-Resumed (Direct examination by Mr. Oscar K. Eaton, representing United Mine Workers of America, resumed:) Mr. EATON. Mr. Jones, from your experience in the Pittsburgh district, do you have a general knowledge of the Pittsburgh Coal Co. mines that operate in the same vicinity that you do? Mr. JONES. I have a general knowledge, but I have not been in their mines. Mr. EATON. Do you have a general knowledge of the equipment they have? Mr. JONES. Yes, sir. Mr. EATON. And from that knowledge do you or do you not feel that the Pittsburgh Coal Co. could accomplish the same results which you have testified that you have accomplished, with reference to the net ton profits, labor cost, etc.? Mr. JONES. With their organization, I would say they should. Mr. EATON. There is in this case testimony by Mr. Lesher, the executive vice president of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., that its labor cost under the Jacksonville wage agreement was from $1.80 to $1.90 per ton. That shows a considerable increase over the labor cost which you have given to this committee, 40 or 50 cents. To what do you attribute that, Mr. Jones? Mr. JONES. I think there must be some mistake. He must have added in supplies and things. Mr. EATON. Well, assuming there is no mistake and that the figures he gives are correct, and you know what your figures are, to what would you attribute it? Mr. JONES. Well, if any of our boys showed us that result we would have some new faces on the job. Senator WHEELER. I did not catch that. Mr. JONES. I said if our management showed such results we would have some new faces on the job. Senator WHEELER. I did not catch the question. Mr. EATON. If the Senator please, I asked about the difference between the labor cost which this witness has given and that which Mr. Lesher testified the Pittsburgh Coal Co. had, which showed a difference of 40 or 50 cents over Mr. Jones's labor cost, and I was trying to get a statement from the witness as to what that could be attributed. Senator WHEELER. Was that Mr. Lesher's labor cost or his total cost? Mr. EATON. I understand it is Mr. Lesher's labor cost. Mr. JONES. I rather thought it was the total cost. Mr. EATON. Now, Mr. Jones, to what extent have you had experience with the miners' union and the wage scale contract entered into between yourself and that union? Mr. JONES. I have had dealings with them for in the neighborhood of 30 years, I guess. Mr. EATON. What have you to say as to the effect, if any of the existence of a wage scale between the miners' union and the operators, as to stabilizing the industry? Mr. JONES. It has a very good effect. Mr. EATON. Now, before the miners' union became an effective organization; that is, during the early stages of its existence, what was the general condition of the industry, where there was no fixed wage scale? Mr. JONES. It was very chaotic and uncertain. Mr. EATON. What effect you think the breaking down of the union in Kentucky and West Virginia and Pennsylvania would have, that is to say, if wage scale contracts were not made with some organization such as the United Mine Workers? Mr. JONES. It would create chaos. Mr. EATON. I mean, having in mind in your answers that experience which you have had, what have you to say as to whether you would prefer to work your mines union or nonunion? Mr. JONES. I would prefer to operate my mines union. Now, in stating that I feel there should be some commission established, such as the Interstate Commerce Commission, composed of miners, operators, and the public, so that we could not have the horrible things happen that have happened during the last year. If the operators and miners can not agree on collective bargaining and I am including all of the States, not Ohio and Pennsylvania alone-if they can not agree on the collective-bargaining basis, then the matter should be referred to this commission and their decision should be final. I feel that most of the coal companies, or many of them, would approve of a step of that kind. Mr. EATON. Have you sold any coal to the railroads during the period from 1923 to 1927? Mr. JONES. Yes. Mr. EATON. What experience have you had in regard to whether or not the prices which you received from the railroad for that coal has remained stationary or gone up and down during the period from 1923 to 1927? Mr. JONES. The prices have followed the market. Mr. EATON. Do you have a table of those prices? Mr. JONES. Yes. Mr. EATON. Does it run from 1919 to 1927? Mr. JONES. I have it here from 1920 to 1927. Mr. EATON. That is approximately the same. Will you produce that, Mr. Jones? Mr. JONES. Yes, sir. Mr. EATON. Without stopping to read it, just file it with the reporter, so it can be made part of the record. Mr. JONES. Yes. I will do that. (The statement referred to is as follows:) |