The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-06
MATTERS BEFORE MINERS
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD TO
MEET TOMORROW.
The Situation in the Anthracite Dis
trict of PennsyIvania-In
the Virginias.

$1,000
United Mine Workers of America, which
meets in this city tomorrow, will have in
it's power to order the greatest strike this
country has ever seen. The situation in
the anthracite district of Pennsylvania,
where more than 10000 miners are now
awaiting an order to quit work subject
to a truce declared to give the National
Civic Federation a chance to adjust mat
ters, will be given consideration. In the fall
Of 1900. when a strike was declared in the
anthracite field. there were less than 10000
miners in the union. In a few months the
organization increased by more than 100, 600,
and now the membership is over 10000 out
of the 10000 employed in the mines. A
strike there would tie up nearly every mine.
At the national convention of the miners
held in this city last January the anthracite
situation was made and the
convention voted to support any measure
that would lead to recognition of the union
In that field and an adjustment of a wage
scale The anthracite miners asked that
the organization support them to the extent
of ordering out every member of the union
about 300,00O-if a settlement was not
reached. The convention refused to take
such radical action, but there are cOndi-
tions incident to a strike, should one take
place, that might cause a general suspen-
sion of work all over the country. This
would be a step employed in case of strike
and the bituminous operators should ship
coal into the anthracite market. Regarding
this step President Mitchell said at the time
of the convention that if bituminous coal
was shipped into the anthracite market a
suspension Of work in the bituminous mines
would likely be the result.
SITUATION IN VIRGINIAS.
THE ett,.tiOD a.. Xyi-of,;o or1 Wet WI
ginia is almost as serious. but such large
numbers are not involved. Yet there is
one phase of the question which is perhaps
as important as any of the other matters
the board will consider. For three years
the organization of the Virginias has been
a contention in the joint conventions Of the
miners and operators of Indiana, Illinois,
Ohio and the bituminous field Of PennsyI-
vania, and the interstate agreement has
been threatened by the operators unless the
VirginiaS were organized. 1t is commended
by them that the Virginias nave become a
sharp competitor on the market, ana, the
operators not paying the union scale, gives
them a decided advantage in the market.
AT the last three conventions several OPP
orators have threatened to withdraw from
the interstate agreement unless organiZa-
ton was pushed in this field. In the last
two years the miners have spent thousands
of dollars in organizing the V~irginias, and
in the last year almost an army of or
ganizers have been going over the States to
enlist men in the union. Conditions there
are such that the miners either have no
faith in the organization or they are fright
ened into not joining the union for fear of
being discharged. AT headquarters the
strength of the union in these two States
will not be given out, in order that the
operators may be surprised should a strike
be declared. Last year, however, more
than fifty new locals were added to the
list, but the membership is not known. The
operators in the two States have refused
to meet the miners in conferences, although
a number OF joint conventions have been
called, and besides this they pay a scale
of wages and impose conditions greatly in
ferior to any that exist in the United
States. On account of the repeated requests
made for a joint conference and their fall
ure the board will have difficulty in not or
dering a strike unless the operators show
some inclination to recede from their posi-
ton, or a strike is declared in the anthra-
cite district and it should not be deemed
advisable to call so many men out at one
time.
Still another matter that will be brought
before the board is the strike in the block
coal field of Indiana. The operators and
miners have failed to make a settlement.
Vice President Lewis has been in Brazil
the last few days trying to make an ad-
justment, but no agreement can be made
and it was finally decided TO leave the
matter to the national board.
At headquarters last week the basis of a
settlement of the strike in the Clearfield
district of Pennsylvania. where 10000 min
ers are on strike. was reached in a con-
ference between the national officers. Bar
ney Rice. board member from that district,
and W. l. Robinson, representing the coal
| interests. This proposition will be submitted
to the miners for ratification. 1t would not
be given out at headquarters what the
basis of settlement was. President Mitchell
said he thought il would be satisfactory to
the miners.
The strike in Michigan has been left to
the operators and miners of that State to
settle. T. w. Davis. commissioner of the
Michigan Coal Operators Association, and
W. T. Williams. president of the State
miners organization, were here for a con-
ference with the national officers last week.
but a settlement was not reached, and they
returned home to fight ii out.
Board Member George Pursell. of Terre
Haute. w. II. Farley. of Alabama, and
Barney Rice. of the Clearfield district of
Pennsylvania, have already arrived for the
meeting and the others are expected to-
day or early tomorrow morning. BY a
change in the constitution the national
executive board now consists of twenty
three members, including the president, sec
rotary and vice president. Each member
represents a district. The former board
first consisted of eight members, anC after
the organization of the anthracite field it
was increased TO ten.