The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-19
Call Issued by President
 Mitchell.
  WILL CONSIDER STRIKE
Bitumin0uS Men May Aid
 Anthracite Workers.
Of the 45o,ooo Coal Diggers in the United States, 35o,ooo Are Affiliated with the Union,
 It is Claimed.

yndianapol Ind, June S.--An omcaai call for a national convention Of the United Mine Workers of America was is- sued this afternoon from the national headuuarters in this city by Secretary Treasurer Wilson. The convention VIII meet here July 17 to determine whether the soft coal miners of the country snail go out on strike to assist the striking anthracite miners in Pennsylvania.
 Tho basis of the apportionment of deie- gates to the convention is one for every hundred members of the local union or fraction over fifty. This will make convention of 1000 delegates. The voting strength of all locals is between 2Soo and 2,4oo. Of this the convention will have voting strength of from 1.7oo to 1,soo. A little over 900 can declare strike. The three anthracite regions cast 747 votes. Virginia and Michigan, which joined m the call for the convention, have b2, max ing 799 votes from these five districts which united to call the convention
 As stated at headquarters, conditions are not satisfactory to miners m MS souri, Kansas, Arkansas and Indian Ter ritory, and 1t is believed the delegates from those sections will vote for strike
 The call, which Is dated Indianapolis. June IS. is addressed to the Local un- ions of the United Mine Workers Of America" and is signed by John Mitchell, National President; w. B. Wilson, Ma tional Secretary Treasurer of the United Mine workers of America.
 The call quotes Section Of Article or the national constitution. which permits the President to order a special conven- ton at the instruction of the Executive Bcatd or at the request of five distdicts and continues:
 Districts Nos. 1, :. 3, IT and "A have requested the National President to call q special convention and you are hereby notified that a special convention of the United Mine Workers of America will be held in Indianapolis, Ind, commencing at 10 o'clock a. m. Thursday. July 17. 1902. for the purp )se of considering D proposi- ton for a general suspension of work t,y the coal miners of the United States in support of the anthracite mine workers, who are now on strike"
 The remainder of the call consists of la recital of Sections ? to 10 inclusive of Article 5 of the national constitution for the guidance of the local unions in se- lecting their delegates and in determining poiu.s of I technical character involved.
 President Mitchell was extremely un' communicative as to what the probable action of the convention might be. If the delegates should decide to inaugurate a national suspension of coal mining every body at strike headquarters believe it would have a disastrous effect on the in- dustries of the country. The supply of coal would become so short that large and small industrial establishments would be to suspend operations and many
 ..I- A.-fAs
 There are approximately about 450.000 coal miners in the United States. Of these about 35O,0O0 MT. Mitchell says, are affiliated with the union and an additional SO 900 comply with the constitution of the miners organization. It is entirely im- possible at this distance to forecast what the national gathering will do. because not one delegate has yet been elected.
 The anthracite delegates will go into the convention with 142.000 striking hard coal miners at their back for a general strike.
 The West Virginia delegates will have approximately 25.0o0 behind them for strike and in Michigan where the union has had trouble the delegates will also be instructed for a national suspension. Central Pennsylvania will contribute certain number of delegates who will want a general strike, as will also Ken lucky. It remains for Western Pennsyl. vania, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana to off- set this, as it was unofficially understood that the miners in those sections are not very enthusiastic for a general stoppage of coal production.
 There is a strong belief here that Pres ident Mitchell has plan to submit to the delegates and this belief Is strengthened by the fact that he delayed the call so long. He had a conference with Presi- dent Patrick Gilday of the Central Penn sylvania bituminous district, on Sunday and has been in frequent communications with other district leaders in the West.
 The barrier to be overcome in the cam paign for national suspension is the yearly wage scale agreement that many of the soft coal miners have with the These agreements are looked upon as contracts. and large percentage of miners in the West are rather averse to breaking them. The principal bone of contention in the anthracite region Is for a yearly wage agreement. Those who are opposed to a general strike use the argu- ment that if the soft coal miners break these contracts and go on strike to help the anthracite men they would be losing in the West what the hard coal miners are fighting for in the East.
 It is not improbable that the conserva- tive men in the convention will be able  to prevent general suspension and car ry through the convention some sort of 
 One plan that Is talked of Is to have only the Central Pennsylvania and West Virginia men help the anthracite workers and another plan is Ip have all the soft coal miners work oMy a certain number of days each week. Failing to gain any thing by either of these two moves then as a final card. stop the production al- together. All the coal that Is now com Ing out is from Eastern Pennsylvania West Virginia and Maryland.
 It is not considered likely that gem erai strike will be agreed to by the con- vention without q fight. The four States In the interstate agreement, Indiana, 1lli- nois, Ohio and the Pennsylvania bitum- nous fields 1t is believed. will stand to- gether to oppose such a movement They are thought to be organized pretty thor oughly in this purpose. but that the back