﻿HALF A DIARY 

The only “bank” coal-miners know 
Is where the “warm”, black diamonds grow 
PATTERSON, N. .„ June 23.—Better call off this panic, I’ve moved into the fourth belt-hole—three is the limit—why that’s backing out from the picture. 
Under the administration of all other panics I’ve always put on fat, coming forward a pace or two—something strangely poisonous about this one. 

Passaic, N. J. bewails it cannot get the Polacks out on strike. “Just try it”, snaps a young man bitterly. 
Secaucus Terminal has two efficient railroad bulls. They refused to let me ride a string of empty freezers. Very inconsiderate of them I’m sure. They suggested I walk the highway. 
I tried to point out the unreasonableness of their demand; that walking became a lost art forty years ago; that people nowadays travel on wheels, boats or airplanes; that were I to adopt their suggestion, it would set me back forty years, the folks in Passaic would’nt know me and I’d be undermining the hard won prestige of modern transportation. 
“You sing sweetly enough,” complimented the bull, “but you ain’t going to ride that train. 
What could I do—a penniless pauper? 
When I lifted my eyes again, there came Passaic rushing at me with the speed of a freight train—which only goes to show faith not only moves mountains but good sized cities. 

Let us croon: 
When “my handle” I was carving 
On a world then gone to blink, 
Old “Secaucus” saw me starving 
And it gave me food and drink— 
Once again the frogs sing sweetly 
And the birds in chorus scream— 
I am reconciled completely, 
Life is but a busted dream. 
—Springtime in the Rockies. 
Dare you dissagree with me editor? 
(The editor thinks the food and drink, especially the drink, must have been pretty good to break down Slim’s well known morale so completley.) 

A five dollar dole, even in Britain, is not enough. But it establishes precedent, is a step and makes for other, steps to follow—that is why England’s workers are in favor of it and its insufficiencies—it’s a start. 
Hoover’s one-year war-debt holiday is too short a period. But it establishes precedent, is a step and makes for more steps—that is why Europe is tickled pink over it and its briefness . . . The principle involved is identical with the principle: do not steal outright; move the object once or twice before administering the final lift. 
Ho hom. Looks’ like a hard winter—just now lost 10,000,000,000 dollars. 

Smith And Cohen for President! 
United States had 1,916 Smiths to pick a president from, in N. Y. C. directory—and 1,636 Cohens—funny if you can’t find two good ones in that mob. 
In the case of Hoover it had to take pretty much anything that showed up. 

Anent the panic of the east let me say it is real enough and for once the people are convinced as to its reality—a difficult thing to do; such is the skepticism of the scions born to money and blood. 
This panic has been and is a genuine article and has removed all doubt from their minds; not at all to beried because it has at the same time flooded the well springs of generosity to an extent never before known in the history of New England. 
“What a lot of unemployed men” is the oft repeated expression and though it seems hamless enough it means much; for unemployment in New England is a disgrace. In Jersey is but the continuation of the tragedy and the hospitality of caution that activates officers of law is caused by petty depredations that precedes crimes of greater magnitude. The wakefulness of the Eric R. R. bulls, for instance, may be caused by leakage of shoes and hams from box cars. 

I see by the papers today, June 24, Pittsburgh Terminal Coal Corp., second largest coal producer in Pittsburgh area, trembling in fear the miners would go “bolshevik;” (I. W. W.), opened today with union miners for the first time since 1927—agreeing to eight-hour day, general wage increases, and some degree of union control. 
United Mine workers of America are the beneficiaries—2,400 men affected. 
Absence makes the heart grow fonder—that’s what I call prestige. 
Some shallow thinkers might opine that outfit made peace with U. M. W. A. so as to be in position to fill the orders of struck mines in Pa. and also in Ky.—were they organized industrially, the workers I mean, that question would not arise. The work would be divided pro rata—none would be killed by overwork while others starved by underwork. Note: mine work is sufficient to reach all hands in sufficient quantities to give everyone plenty exercice and by organizing industrially the miners can transform that exercise into a good living—it can be used against another (that is all that’s required to tame any field) plus the dissension created by it which by itself would defeat any field—do it industrially. 
The mine owners are in position to withdraw all work in one state and run full blast in another or they can stop work in one state and divide that work in ten other states. 
The miners by organizing industrially can take the work of those, say, dozen states and divide it equally among themselves—(district form of organization will not do so, never was intended to do so, and works right into the hands of mine owners.) 
Only industrial unionism will give the miner a fair shake. 
Many of the miners, thousands of them, already are industrial unionists and if they don’t move pretty pronto to convert the rest they are welcome to my sympathy. I used to be a miner. 
Forget all about strikes till you’re organized right—you’ll never reach home on the wrong street. 
—T-b-s.