The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-20
CONVENTION MAY ORDER A GEN
ERAL STRIKE.
MITCHELL IS NOT TALKING
Date Of Meeting Not Yet Fixed, But
It Is to Be Held at Indian
apolis.

Wilkesbarre, June 18.-The long ex-
pected call for a national convention
of United States Mine Workers of
America was issued today by Presi-
dent Mitchell at strike headquarters,
to be held at Indianapolis the earliest
possible date.
The date of the convention will be
fixed by w. B. Wilson, national Sec
retary at Indianapolis, who has
charge of the machinery by which the
convention is arranged.
The convention will be called for
the purpose of discussing the advis-
ability of involving all the soft coal
miners in the United States in the
strike now going on in the anthracite
coal fields.
Under the constitution of the union
five districts must join in the action
before the national president can is
sue call for national convention.
The five districts that applied for the
convention were the three anthracite
districts, the Michigan district and
the West Virginia district, where a
strike is now on.
Mitchell Slow to Act.
President Mitchell has had the con-
sent of five districts for some time,
but for scme reason did not see fit
to issue the call until today. The re-
quest for the convention was made
at Hazleton four weeks ago last Fri
day. -
President Mitchell was extremely
uncomnunicative as to what the ac-
tion of the convention may be. If
the delegates should agree to inaugu-
rate a national suspension of coal
mining everybody at strike headquar-
ters believes it would have distrous
effect upon the industries of the coun-
try.
The supply of coal would become
so short that large and small indus
trial establishments would be COM
PEELED to suspend operations and
many railroads would also seriously
suffer. There are approximately
about 100000 coal miners in the Unit
ed States. Of these about 350,000
MI. Mitchell says, are affiliated with
the union and an additional $4,000
comply with the legislation of the
miners union.
1t is utterly impossible at this dis
tance to forecast what the national
gathering will do. because not one
delegate has yet 'been elected. The
anthracite delegates will go into con-
vention with $4,000 striking hard
coal miners at their back for a general
strike.
Instructed to Strike.
The West Virginia delegates will
have approximately 25,0OO behind
them for a strike and in Michigan,
where the union has been having trou-
BILE, the delegates will also be in
structed for a national strike. Cen.
trail Pennsylvania will also contribute
a certain number of delegates who
will want general strike.
It is thought western Pennsylvania
| Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana
will Offset this, as it is stated that the
miners in these sections are not very
enthusiastic for general stoppage Of
coal production.
| There is a general belief here thai
President Mitchell has some plan tc
| submit to the delegates and this be
lief is strengthened by the fact tha,
he delayed the call so long. He hat
conference with President Patrick
Gilday, of the Central Pennsylvania
bituminous district, on Sunday ant
has been in frequent communication
with other soft coal leaders in th'
west.
The barrier to be overcome in thu
campaign for a national suspension
is the yearly wage scale agreemen
that many Of the soft coal miners
have with the companies.
/ It is generally accepted by th'
strikers that the real object of tn
anthracite coal owners is to break III
the union in this part of the countr.
at least.
May Compromise.
| It is not improbable that the cor
servative element will be able to pre-
vent general suspension and carr