The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-10-20
GENERAL CHEERFULNESS
IN FACES OF THE MEN
But Little Business Is Transacted at the
Morning Session-Some Little Dis
position Not to Call the Strike OF
Until All Of the Many Little Details
Are Arranged--Copvention Becomes
Social Session and Songs Are Sung.
[DY ASSOCIATED PREss.1

Wilkesbarre. Pa, Oct. ao.-About 700
delegates of the United Mine Workers of
America from the hard coal mining dis.
trict OF Pennsylvania met in the Nesbt
theater today to act on the proposal to set
tile the long strike by arbitration. The
convention was called by President Mitchell
under the rules Of the union to vote on the
plan which he laid before it and later ex-
planned fully in lengthy address.
Every delegate whose opinion was
sought felt that the convention would do
whatever their national leader advised,
There was a general cherfulness in the
faces of rhe men.
Among the late arrivals at the conven-
tion hall was National Secretary Treas
urer w. B. Wilson, elected to be the Sec
retary of the convention with the secre-
taries of the three districts. He was of
the opinion that the convention would end
tomorrow and that the men would return
to work on Thursday. He said the out
look for acceptance was bright but there
were intimations among the assembled
delegates that there were objections on
the part of some to calling off the strike
until positive assurance is had that all the
men will get back the positions they oc-
cupied before the strike began.
Convention Adjourns.
District President Nichols called the
convention to order at 10 40 and ordered
that the call for the convention be read.
This was done by Mr.. Wilson, the district
secretary, acting as the committee on Gre
dentials.
The report showed total of 636 dele
gates, according to the credentials so far
received.
While these reports were being pre-
sented report was received that Presi-
dent Mitchell would not come to the hall
from strike headquarters until after the
convention had been permanently organ
lied. t''.f.
1t was 1908 o'clock when the reading
of the reports was concluded, and as the
business of the convention could not go
on until the committee on credentials had
made final report, motion was made.
to adjourn until p. IN.
Before the motion was put it was sug-
gested that the delegates be entertained
by songs. This was adopted, and for a
brief time the big convention was turned
into a social meeting.
Give Three Cheers for Mitchell, for
the Strike That We Have Won,' was sung
by Wilkesbarre delegate. and it swept
the convention with enthusiasm.
At II :42 the convention adjourned until
o'clock this afternoon
Meet Grave Question.
THE grave question which you have
been called upon to consider today de-
mands and must receive your most careful
thought. Personally, | should have pre-
ferred all adjustment of the difficulties
existing in the anthracite field by confer
ence with the anthracite mine owners and
without the intervention of agencies not
directly involved, but recognize the fact
that relations between ourselves and the
operators have become SO strained as 20
render direct negotiation at this time i'm
possible. If the consequences of this
strike affected only the interests of the
operators and mine workers there would
be less reason for the Intervention of a
third party, but the fact that the coal fam
inc was upon the people of the Eastern and
Continued on Page Nine.)