Show lEWIS LEIS EXPLAINS i I SIX SIX- SIX HOUR DAY DAr Head of f M Miners ers Talks alks of I I I I I 1 heIr I II II I I INDIANAPOLIS Ind March 25 5 Dy j the tho Associated Pre Press Press President President John JohnI JohnL I I L L. Lewis o oc of the United Mine lIne Workers Hof of ot America gives his interpretation of at the miners' miners demand for tor a II six hour da day I j I five day week being a a apart part of ot an any j I new wage agreement affecting the soft sort I I con coal industry In a a. formal statement he said said- I I I There has been so much misunderstanding i standing among among the people as to thereal the I Ireal real meaning meaning- of ot the position of ot tho I Unite Mine Workers of America with I regard to the tho proposed six hour day and five day week eek that I r e something something something some some- thing should be said that would set I the public right on the subject It has been charged by coal operators that the miners are deman demanding lIn more pay for less ells work The principle I of ot the shorter work clay flay does not mean anything any thing of ot the kind They do not ask for the six hour hour day dav as the maximum I an-I but they the do ask oak that the they be given Treasonable reasonable assurance that they will have reasonably steady employment six hours a day any throughout the nar ear i Under present conditions the miners I work eight hours a day only a sma small Ii part of ot the tho time each year In n 1921 thE they were Employed ed only ony about 40 0 p pr r cent of ot full time and were Idle Ide 60 per cent of ot the time They were employed em em- only an average e of about 12 days in 1921 out of the SOO or more work davs n of the Year tear They c cannot j rt lg f sc i make a living for their fn families s under i such conditions Last La t vear year the oj ear erl r- r rl an average a of approximately per I man I Iv The bituminous lt mines I of the country country coun coun- mJ g ur try have v a capacity of 7 0 to n 0 tons a year In normal times limes the demand l nd als Is i for approximately r tonsa tona year tar 1 If the miners had reasonably steady employment they could and would easily J produce r duct ina in ina a six hour day enough cops cod to fl 11 I 1 every possible ur requirement g le h ih f If t It eon con be J done In a six-hour six day d why should minters rs be he required to work eight hours a ada da dav dat only a part of ot the time I i Many years TS N ago miners were compelled com com- to work o ten twelve or more tda dt he Vt de n i hours ours a day and when they m made their I fight tight for tor a shortening of at the work day dayto dayto to eight hours they were met with the I same soma kind of ot a tl tight fight ht they are arc now tac- tac Ing log In their request for a six-hour six dR day I Hut tut they won and the country has had all the coal It could use ule ever since The six hour day clay Is s not a scarecrow scarecrow scare scare- crow row nor Is It a menace to the countr countr coun- coun tr try II sy some ers ern would have hu huliS us liS believe It t is la simply a humane prin- prin ciple |