The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-05-24
STRIKE THREATENED
PLAN TO TIE UP COAL MINES OF
THE COUNTRY.
Would Paralyze the Entire Industry of
The Country-Half a Million of Coal
Mine Workers.

HAZELTON, May 16.-The anthracite
mine workers in convention today, in
order to win their strike, unanimously
decided upon plan that, If carried into
successful operation, would practically
tie up the industries of the country, pa
ralyze business and Inconvenience the
people throughout the United states.
1t is their desire that a special con-
vention of the United Mine Workers of
America be called as soon as practicable
for the purpose of endeavoring to have
all the hituminous mine workers, both
organized and unOrgantzed, involved In
the anthracite miners struggle. This
announcement was officially made at
noon today by President John Mitchell
in statement of the deliberation of the
delegates in convention.
If a special convention is called and
the miners succeed in their object it
will seriously affect 449, 900 men who are
employed in and about the coal mines
of the country. Coal would soon be-
come scarce, and this would ultimately
result in the tying up of railroads and
all sorts of industries that use large
quantities of the fuel. The striking
miners are enthusiastic over the con-
Yendons action and most of them can
see only success in the proposition.
An absolutely trustworthy source is
authority for the statement that the
special convention will be called prob
ably to meet in 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 unanimous for
such a meeting and it is likely that the
West Virginia district and the Michigan
district will consent to the issuance of
the call.
MISUNDERSTANDING Treasurer Wilson of
Indianapolis said today that within the
next two or three weeks, regardless of
the special convention, $4,000 men in
Virginia and West Virginia and from
$4,000 to 10000 in the soft coal region OF
Central Pennsylvania will be on strike.
They will be called out, he said, for the
purpose of forcing the mine owners to
give them higher wages and incidental
ly to help the anthracite workers. These
men are partly organized
The matter of calling out the en-
gineers firemen and pump runners from
the anthracite mines to allow the work.
ings to become flooded and damaged
was left by the convention to the des-
cretion of the national and district otf1-
GERS. 1t was said at strike headquar-
ters today that the United Mine Work.
ers' organization has all along Follow
ed a policy of protecting mine property
on the ground that the destruction of
accumulated wealth, as a rule, ulti-
mately affected the workmen seriously.
Notwithstanding that 145,OVU men have
been idle for the last five days, no dis
turbances of any kind have been report
ed here. All the delegates left for their
homes today and Hazelton tonight pre-
sents a deserted appearance. President
Mitchell said that he had had no COM
munication with any one bearing on
settlement of the strike.
The coal companies continue their
preparations for a long struggle. Mine
mules are being brought to the surface
and placed in pasture, clerks and other
employees are being laid off and other
steps have been taken to keep down
expenses. The coal-carrying railroad
companies are laying off coal train
crews every day, and the local electric
railway company, which has lines to
all the surrounding towns, has reduced
it's service so per cent and placed it's
employees on half time. Business gem
orally is stagnant, and coal in this Sec
tion is becoming scarce Many of the
foreign mine laborers, in anticipation
of a prolonged struggle have left the
region.