The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-17
TO TIE UP ALL MINES
PRESIDENT MITCHELL's PLAN TO
WIN STRIKE.
WOULD PARALYZE INDUSTRY.
RAILROADS AND MANUFACTURER
WOULD SUFFER.

National Convention of Miners to Re
Called 10 Pass Upon the Question.
BituminOus Miners, Both Organ
iDed and UnOrganiyed, to BE In
Vited to JOin-SuspensfOn of Coal
Mining Would Affect Every In
dustry and ParaIyze Commences.
10000 Miners in Virginia and
West Virginia to be Called Out
shortly.
Hazleton, Pa, May 16.-The anthra-
cite mine workers to-day, in order to
win their strike, decided unanimously
upon a plan that, if carried into sue
cessful operation, would practically tie
up the industries of the country. par
alyze business and inconvenience the
people throughout the United States.
1t is their desire that a special ma
tional convention of the United Mine
Workers may be called as soon as
practicable for the purpose of endeav-
oring to have all the bituminous mine
workers. both organized and morgan
lied. involved in the anthracite min
ers' struggle This announcement was
officially made at noon to-day by Pres
ident John Mitchell in a statement
giving the result of the deliberations
of the delegates in convention. This
statement is as follows:
"At this mornings session the con-
vention petitioned the national officers
to issue call for a national conven-
ton of all miners employed in the
United States for the purpose of con-
sidering the situation in the anthracite
field. If the desire of the anthracite
miners is carried into effect a national
suspension of coal mining will be in
augurated. All questions of detail as
to the direction of the strike in the an
thracite field were referred to the dis
trict and national officers. Definite
plans will be outlined within the next
few days. For the present the engi-
neers, firemen and pump runners will
continue at work. All mine workers
were advised to remain at their homes,
abstain from frequenting Saloons and,
under all circumstances, observe the
law"
Would ParnIyze Industry.
If a special national convention is
called and the miners succeed in their
object it would directly affect $4,000
men, who are employed in and about
the coal mines of the country. Coal
would soon became scarce and this
would ultimately result in the tying up
of railroads and all sorts of industries
that use large quantities of the fuel.
1t is doubted by some interested per-
sons here who are closely watching de-
velopments that a stupendous move
ment could be brought about for the
reason that the business interests of
the country would not stand idly by
and permit such plan to be put into
effect.
The striking miners are enthusiastic
over the conventions action, and most
OF them can see only success in the pro-
position.
An absolutely trustworthy source is
authority for the statement that the
special convention will be called, prob
ably at Indianapolis, in the course Of
several weeks. According to the rules
of the United Mine Workers petition
signed by five mine workers districts is
necessary to call a special convention.
The three anthracite districts are unan-
imous for such a meeting, and 1t is
likely that the West Virginia district
and the Michigan district will consent
to the issuance of the call. The two
latter districts now have small hut
stubborn strikes in progress, and they
will doubtless consent to the call so
that they, too, may receive the benefit
of what ever may be accomplished.
To Call Out 10000 More.
National Secretary and Treasurer w.
3. Wilson of indianapolis said to-day
that within the next two or three
weeks, regardless of the special con-
vention. 10000 men in Virginia and
West Virginia, and from 5000 to 90
900 in the soft coal region of Central
Pennsylvania will be on strike. They
will be called out, he said, for the pur-
pose of forcing the mine owners to give
them higher wages and incidentally to
help the anthracite workers.