The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-21

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 positions at all. When you
vote on this proposition, you must do
it with as full knowledge of the situa-
ton as l can give you.
Poorest Breaker Dear.
NOW let me emphasize this point:
That the poorest boy that worked in a
breaker is as dear to us as the man
who ran the best engine; that, while
we shall try with all the power we
| nave to get every man that struck
back to his old job, we will make spe-
clal efforts for none and show special
favors to none. We want the engi-
neers, hremen, pumpmen, inspectors
ana posses to go back, but we don't
want them to go back one bit more
than we want the little breaker boys
| TO go back. There was no single class
| Of WOrkmen who went out on a SYM
pathetic strike Every man who struck
struck for wages. He struck for ex-
aetiy the same thing the miners and
! the mine laborers struck for AS far
as it is within the power of the union
we shall afford protection to every
! man, union or non-union, who went
| out on strike with us.
"But it may be true that some will
be sacrificed, and, much as we shall
regret that, desire to say that no bat
tie was ever fought, no victory was
ever won, that did not carry with it
some victims. Lives have been lost to
gain the most brilliant victories that
| were ever won in the world. If it ap-
peals to your judgment to accept the
recommendation of your officers, if
l I-cz
Of the president of your country, If
you wish to be guided by the advice
| of your friends all over the land and
decide to return to work, the Unitec
Mine Workers of America will protect
the man who happens to be left out OF
his job.
Will Go to the Tribunal.
"In our pledge to the president of the
United States, in which we notified
him that we would recommend to you
a 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 tribunai named by the
president and ask that tribunal to de-
eide that we are entitled to the work
we left when we went on strike.
Il have no assurance that if you re-
turn to work on Wednesday all of you
will be given back your old places. l
do believe, however, that the coal
companies will gradually displace the
men who have your jobs and give you
your old places again. I dare say that
hundreds of the men who were brought
here from the cities and from the
farms to take your places will return
to the cities and farms when you go
back. I have no doubt at all that be-
fore two or three weeks have rolled by
there will be no question about the
reinstatement of the men However,
remember this, that when your votes
are cast want you to cast them with
the full knowledge that some of you
may not get your old positions back.
I dare say that the companies are as
anxious to have competent engineers,
fremen, pumpmen and inspectors as
you are to fill those places; and you
know that the men they brought here
to take your places are not competent;
and, while the companies will not go
out before the public and say they will
sacrifice the men who stood by them
as they call it, they will in most cases
be glad to have their old and compe-
tent workmen back"
Explains the Arbitration Plan.
Mr.. MitchelIs remarks were greeted
with applause. Another delegate made
speech against ending the strike
without definite assurance of reinState-
ment and Mr.. Mitchell was again call
ed upon for an explanation of the
status of the arbitration plan as it now
stands. In response to this request, he
said:
eve have not adopted their PROPOSE
ton as they made it, and the PROPOSE
ton 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
operators.
"Organized labor is represented on
the commission. l do not, however, as
sumo that either the capitalists or the
trade unionists who are on the COM p
mission will permit their special IN
terests 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 propo-
sition unless it was there"
Then the delegates again took up the
debate Many spoke with great earn
estness. Three of them were willing
TO return to work and trust to the
union to do justice to them. Another
was willing to leave the whole matter
in the hands of President Roosevelts
commission, and another said:
Words of Patriotism.
eff 1 can't get my job can look for
another one, therefore, let us go TO
work and give the American people
some coal"
was loudly applaused. After further
debate it was decided to let the queS-
ton go over until tomorrow morning.
A committee on resolutions was ap-
pointed and the convention adjourned
until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning Inc
committee includes President Mitchell,
Secretary Wilson and District Presl-
dents Nichols, Duffy and Fahy.
The resolution committee met to-
NIGHT and outlined a set of resolutions
TO be presented to the convention to-
morrow. 1t is probable that they will
recommend the acceptance of the ar
bitration plan; that all grievances De
submitted to the commission appointed
nv President Roosevelt; that all men
who shall not find immediate employ
ment shall be taken care OF by the
union until they get positions, and that
organized labor throughout the world
and other individuals be thanked for
assistance given during their struggle
International MOVEMENT Oh "''S
-CHARLEROI, Belgium, Oct 20.-The
national miners committee has decld- !
ed to send a deputation to Germany
and England with the view of starting
general international movement
among miners
First Meeting of the Commission.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct 20. =
Judge Gray, one of the members of the
coal strike arbitration commission,
took lunch with the president today.