The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah
Tuesday Morning, December 8, 1936 (Vol. 134, No. 55)



Close of Utah Strike Seen by Union Leaders.  

National and local leaders of the International Mine, Mill and Smelter union Monday predicted quick settlement of the Utah metal mines strike at a public mass meeting held at Park City.

Other developemts of the two-month-old strike were:

1.  The Park City District Mines Employes Welfare association was organized as a bargaining agency at a mass meeting at Coalville. The group formerly was known as the Park Utah club.

2.  E. A. Hamilton, general manager of the mines for the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining company, announced the strike-closed mill at Midvale would reopen Tuesday.

One Arrested.  

3.  One man was arrested at Bingham and was charged with assult and battery following a labor disturbance. Three cars reportedly were damaged as 15 men reportedly returned to work through Bingham picket lines.

4.  Activities on the other fronts were quiet. Tooele smelter workers had returned to work three weeks ago, accepting an operators’ settlement of a 25 cent per shift pay increase.

Blood Seeks to Confer With Negotiators as Soon as Possible.  

5.  Governor Blood released a letter written to the district negotiating committee in which he expressed a desire to meet with the committee as soon as possible.

6.  Irwin Arnovitz, chairman of the state tax commission, addressed a letter to the union officials concerning their request for an investigation into mine bookkeeping methods.

Park City miners were warned to fight the “organization of another group in this valley,” if they would win their battle in the eight-week-old strike for a 50 cent per day increase in pay and an eight-hour portal to portal shift.

Foresees Victory.  

“When you go up to meet the boss in the next few days,” said Reid Robinson, of Butte, Mont., president of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, “which I know is going to happen, you’re going to be organized to meet the boss’ organization and win your fight.“

Park City Mass meeting Hears Prediction of End of Walkout.  

Mr. Robinson, Ora Wilson of Spokane, Wash., international union representative; Scott Smith, president of the Park City local No. 99, and Tom Costas, local secretary, predicted an early strike settlement.

Leaders pleaded for the preservation of order. However, Paul M. Peterson, president of the Utah State Federation of Labor, warned, “If we have to fight to get it (our demands), we’re going to fight.”

Howard B. Alston, superintendent of Park City schools, made a fervent plea for the prevention of violence and an early strike settlement. He begged the men to “get together and do something, for the sake of your children.”

Sheriff Opens Meet.  

Sheriff Ephraim Adamson of Summit county opened the mass meeting in the Park City high school at 7:30 p.m.

Sheriff Adamson, who had been previously scheduled to appear at a meeting in Heber City to assure members of the newly formed Park City District Mines Employes Welfare association that men of that body would be assured protection if they desired to crash picket lines, appeared instead as an “impartial chairman” of the Park City meeting at the request of union officials, answering to Scott Smith, president.

Mr. Robinson explained there were three factors which must be taken into consideration as strike settlement. They were, namely, business men, politicians, and “the boss.” It is to the advantage of the business men, he said, to back strikers, because “they had a long memory.— and by increased earning power can spend more money with you.”

Warns Politicians.  

He warned politicians it was to their advantage to support strikers with an eye to the next election, and for the “boss” he advised conciliation to employes’ demands.

Mr Wilson claimed he did not believe in violence in a strike, because “It don’t get you anywhere.” “All I believe in is ‘Don’t go back to work, and don’t let any other worker go back to work until you get what you’ve gone after.’”

“The law of the land allows for peaceful picketing.

“Don’t hit ’em, just gang up and don’t let ’em through.”

“If you stand pat and don’t weaken, and not become divided among yourselves, the boss will deal with you.”

Mr. Wilson went on to say they had heard: “They’re a bunch of cherry pickers, farmers and apple knockers across the hill who want this thing settled no matter what the cost.”

Numerous references to the assorted cherry pickers and apple knockers who were interpreted to mean miners living in the Kamas district were made by a number of persons in the hall. Emery Buhler of Midway was booed when he said: “We boys up the valley in the Wasatch county have taken a lot of knocks here tonight, and we’re not cherry pickers or apple knockers.”

Brings Cheers.  

Whereupon, Mr. Smith reminded the audience persons had been guaranteed freedom from intimidation and Mr. Buhler’s next words: “There’s only a little mountain sits between us, so let’s be friends,” brought cheers.

Mr. Peterson warned operators and business men to “speak your piece tonight or hold it forever.”

Bartley G. McDonough, Summit county attorney, warned against violence or bloodshed. His pleas were echoed by practically every union official who took the stand. Numerous verbal retorts to the “apple knocker” remarkes from union heads came from various persons who shouted their opinion from the floor.

There was no disorder.

Clifford Bradshaw of Francis accused Mr. Wilson of “insulting my parents, who were agriculturists.” “I would like to ask you, Mr. Wilson,” he shouted, “could you live on the muck from these mines?”

Compliments Governor.  

Tom Costas, secretary of the Park City local union, complimented Governor Henry H. Blood for “his fair, unbiased attitude regarding administration of relief through the state department of public welfare.”

Mr. Costas said “the Park City union has extended some $3000 in relief” and that “we’ve got a few dollars left.” He predicted: “I think a satisfactory conclusion of this strike situation will be reached in the next three or four days.”

Mr. Costas said: “It is up to you boys in the valley (referring to the newly formed welfare association) to join the union where you belong and we will settle this strike.”

Repeated expressions were heard from union leaders, strikers, non-union men and disinterested spectators at the meeting that “the atmosphere has been cleared of a lot of misunderstanding,” in words of Mr. Alston.

Pledge Cooperation.  

County Attorney McDonough, who said he spoke for the business men, declared: “If you miners are 100 per cent for sticking to your demands, the business men are 100 per cent behind you.”

Mr. Smith, when the meeting opened, explained it had been called to “bring all issues into the open, stop wild and unfounded rumors, and generally clear the air.”

When the meeting adjourned, he expressed the opinion those objectives had been accomplished.

Although union officials said mining operators had been invited to attend, none appeared. Instead, Mr. Costas read offers previously made by operators to miners for 25-cent wage increases and “no discrimination,” which he implied were sent the union after operators received invitations to attend.

After the general meeting, Mr. Robinson invited all miners, regardless of their union affiliations, to meet Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Park City Elks hall, to reach an agreement whether or not to “sign a petition authorizing the union to become the collective bargaining agency” for the district.

Letters Mailed.  

Letters were mailed to mine operators Monday by officers of the Park city District Mines Employes Welfare association, as outgrowth of the Park Utah club, pledging the return of 300 Park city district miners to work if “proper protection” is assured. The letters were mailed over the signatures of J. L. Johnson, president, and Orville B. Commings, vice president.

Sheriff Ephraim Adamson and mine operators of the district agreed after a meeting with the Summit county commission in Coalville Monday that “proper protection” is assured.

“It is my duty to preserve order and keep the roads open,” Sheriff Adamson said.

Paul H. Hunt, superintendent of the Park Utah Consolidated Mines company, expresssed assurance that “the sheriff will take every precaution.” “I think it has been put up pretty cold to the officials,” he said. “They know that threats have been made, and that if something is done their bondholders are responsible.” (Mr. Hunt referred to possible violence when an attempt be made to reopen mine operations.)

“Loose Talk”.  

“There’s been a great deal of loose talk concerning the reception of men going to work. I’m sure the sheriff will take every precaution.”

Representatives of the three major mines in the district were present at the meeting.

Mr. Johnson reported a committee of nine had tentatively drafted a constitution and by-laws for the new organization, which developed into a union following action of Park Utah club members last week to seek reopening of the strike-closed mines. The constitution, by-laws, and the letters mailed Monday were approved Monday night at a meeting of more than 120 members of the new organization in the Wasatch high school in Heber.

The constitution contains a prevision that no “operators, superintendants, foremen or engineers” are eligible for membership in the welfare association. This was pointed out by leaders as proof that the new group is not a “company union,” as opponents of its growth have claimed.

Other provisions of the constitution concern welfare activities in general.

Stage March.  

With the new organization desiring an end to the strike, 250 union miners marched double file through Park City’s main street Monday morning in what observers interpreted as a display of strikers’ strength. Union pickets also were reported to have been reinforced at strategic points in the district.

Mill Will Reopen.  

E. A. Hamilton, general manager of mines for the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining company, announced Monday night that the flotation mill of the Midvale smelter, closed since early in the strike period, would be reopened Tuesday. The mill would handle ore from the Bingham mine, produced by the workers who have gone back within the last two weeks. It was closed when the supply from the Bingham district was stopped by the walkout.

Return to Work.  

An additional force of about 20 men returned to work at Bingham and Lark Monday. Six men who entered the shafts of the Lark mine to work were the first to defy the picket lines there since the strike began, while from 10 to 14 who returned to Bingham brought the crews there to an estimated 85 men in addition to maintenance employes.

One asserted picket was arrested for assault and battery and three workers reported to officers that their cars had been tampered with, but sheriff’s officers present in both towns prevented more serious disorder.

An asserted attack by a picket on an employe attempting to enter the mine grounds was reported Monday morning at Bingham. Leonard Witcherty was in jail at a late hour Monday under $50 bail on an assault and battery charge filed by Arnold Gunderson. Gunderson charged that as he drove his automobile toward the upper workings of the U. S. mine at Bingham, Witcherty and other pickets leaped on his running board and attacked him. Unable to identify the other pickets, he said Witcherty slugged him several times.

Witcherly pleaded not guilty in the charge before Justice of the Peace S. J. Kenner Monday afternoon. His trial is to be held Wednesday.

Governor Blood Monday suggested reopening of negotiations in a letter to H. L. Miles, district secretary, and F. L. White, international representative of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers.

“It is noted that you are ready again to discuss this matter in detail,” the letter read in part. “I shall be pleased to meet you gentlemen at any time suitable to yourselves; early next week, if possible.

Answer to Union.  

The letter from the state tax commission, signed by Irwin Arnevits, chairman, was also addressed to Mr. Miles and Mr. White.

It was written in answer to a union request that an investigation be conducted into the accounting and bookkeeping system used by “certain mining companies.” With “a representative group of citizens who are not connected with the mining industry,” they have asserted that “if a proper accounting were made by the mine operators as to their actual proceeds, that the sales tax would be abolished.”

His letter read in part:

“May we take this opportunity to advise you of the nature of the auditing of the accounts of mining companies carried on by this commission during the past two years. Mr. H. H. Higgs, one of the members of our auditing staff, has been assigned to this task and for the past two years has been making an audit of the net proceeds returns of mining companies.

“This work has been correlated with the efforts of the auditing department in auditing the corporation franchise tax returns of these mines. Originally Mr. Higgs devoted only a part of his time to the work of making mine audits, but during the whole of 1936 his whole time has been devoted to mine taxation. The returns of mining companies covering net proceeds tax are being audited as rapidly as they are received.

“This work has resulted in making additional assessments in many cases. If you have any information that would justify assigning additional auditors to the task we would be happy to make such an assignment and to make a detailed report to the legislature of the results of our findings.

“May we assure you that you will always find this department ready and willing to receive any suggestions from reliable sources and that such suggestions, when received will be acted upon.”