The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-21

approval to the action of your execu-
tive officers, who have recommended
acceptance of the proposition that the
strike be declared off and all men are
then to return to work in the positions
and working places occupied by them
prior to the inauguration of the strike
ana that all questions at issue be sub
m1tted for adjustment to the tribunal
selected by the President of the United
States"
suggested Peace Causes Cheers.
The address was followed with the
Closest attention by the delegates. At
various stages of the reading Mr.
Mitchell was applauded but when he
urged the delegates to adopt the re-
concentrations of the executive boards
10 call OFF the strike and "all men are
tnen TO work in the position they oc-
cupled before the strike was inaugu-
rated tremendous applause greeted
the remarks
Inc moment he finished a Wilkes
barre delegate was on his feet and
moved that the recommendations con-
tanned in President MitchelPs address
De adopted If this had been acted
upon at once, the strike would have
peen off and the conventions work
nave 1t that way. They wanted to and
aid debate the matter until the ad-
Journment after o'clock.
A PANTHER Creek engineer was the
1rst to take the floor in opposition to
accepting the plan until he and his
colleagues had some assurance that
they would be reinstated in their old
positions. The companies have said, he
continued, that they will not dismiss
the men now employed by them and
place strikers in their positions. A
number of other delegates spoke along
the same lines and then confusion re-
suited over the presence of persons who
were not delegates.
President Mitchell Strengthened this
out by requesting outsiders to leave
| hall. About half of those present re-
| tired.
The question again reverted to that
| of reinstatement of the men. A dozen
| speeches were made for and against
| the question of obtaining some specific
| assurance that the men would get back
their places If they returned to work
| Finally a delegate arose and asked
| President Mitchell to express his views
| on the subject. He Immediately re-
sponded and made one of the most i'm
| portant addresses he has been called on
| to make during the past five months.
| The strike leader said:
Coal Companies VIII BE Fair.
Il desire to inform you that the
! president of your organization has done
| all he can to learn the attitude of the
companies towards the men who are
| now on strike. AS you know, the COM
! panies refuse direct negotiations with
us. Through Intermediates we have
| received assurance that the companies
! are going to meet the issues fairly,
that they are not disposed to black
| list the men; that they do not
| propose to be vindictive; that as far
| as possible, men are to be returned to
! their old places. 1t may take some
| time before that can be brought about,
| and 1T may be that some few men will
| not be restored to their former posi-
| lions at all. When you vote on this
| proposition, you must do it with as
! full knowledge of the situation as l can
give you.
I'm our pledge to the President of the
United States, in which we notified
him that we would recommend to YOU
resumption of work, we said to him
that we should recommend a return of
our people to their old jobs; and if the
coal companies fail to give our men
their old places, if they fail to treat
them reasonably, we shall carry the
question to the tribunal named by the
President, and ask that tribunal to
decide that we are entitled to the work
we left when we went on strike"
His remarks were greeted with ap-
plause. Another delegate made a
speech against ending the strike with
out definite assurance of reinstatement
and Mr.. Mitchell was again called upon
for an explanation of the status of the
arbitration plan as it now stands. In
response to this request, he said:
Officers stood for Justice.
1--WE have not adopted their propo-
sition, as they made it, and the propo-
sition would never, with my consent,
have been adopted as they made it.
When the coal companies thought
to practically name the arbitrator we
objected, and secured a modification of
their proposal. That modification en-
abled the President to select men out
side of the classes suggested by the
companies. Organized labor is repre-
scented on the commission. I do not
however, assume that the capitalists
or the trade-unionists who are on the
commission will permit their special
interests to influence their judgment in
making their decisions; but organized
labor is on that commission and it is
there because the President of the
United States wanted it there. and be-
cause we would not agree to the prop
osition unless it was there"
After further debate on both sides
it was decided to let the question go
over until tomorrow morning. A
committee on resolutions was then ap-
pointed and at Sis p. m. the conven-
ton adjourned until 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning.
Committee on Resolutions.
The committee is composed of the
following delegates and officers of the
union: President Mitchell Secretary
Wilson, District Presidents Nichols,
Duffy and Fahy; Delegates p. r.
O'Hara of Dunmore; Adam Rescavage,
Plymouth; John L. Jones' Plymouth;
James Gallagher. Hazleton; William
McElhenny, Coaldale; Andrew Matty,
Hazleton; Thomas Thomas. Miners
Vile; Paul Pulaski Mount Carmel, and
Louis Cupp, fremont.
The resolutions committee met to-
night and outlined set of resolutions
to be presented to the convention to-
morrow. Nothing official was given out
tonight as to what they will contain.
1t is probable they will recommend the
acceptance of the arbitration plan,
that all grievances be submitted to the
commission appointed by President
Roosevelt; that all men who shall not
find immediate employment shall be
taken care of by the union until they
get positions, and that organized labor
throughout the world and other or
ganizations and individuals be thank
ed for the assistance given the mine
workers during their struggle.
-e-o-e