Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-05-17
STRIKE MAY SPREAD.
General Miners Convention Tx
be Called to Consider
Proposition.
IL FOREIGNERS DESERT ?
vaation to Be Held Today, When
1t Is Said They VIII Ask Operators
to Reopen Mines-civic Fedora.
ton May Try to Arbit'ate Trouble.

Hazleton, Pa, May 1.-THE an.
thracite mine workers in convention
yesterday in order to win their strike
unanimously decided upon a plan that
If carried into successful operation
would practically tie up the indus
tries of the country, paralyze bust
ness and Inconvenience the people
throughout the United States. It is
their desire that special national
convention of the United Mine Work
ers of America be called as soon as
practicable for the purpose of en-.
deayoring to have all the bituminous
mine workers, both organized and un.
organized, involved in the anthracite
miners struggle. This announce.
ment was officially made at noon yes
terday by President John Mitchell,
in statement giving the result of
the deliberations Of the delegates in
convention.
Would Effect 100000 Men.
If special national convention is
called and the miners succeed in their
object it would directly affect As, 900
men. who are employed in and about
the coal mines of the country. Coal
would soon become scarce and this
ultimately result in the tying up of
railroads and all sorts of industries
that use large quantities of the fuel
1t is doubted by some interested per.
sons here who are closely watching
developments that such stupendous
movement could be brought about, for
the reason that the business interests
of the country would not stand by
and permit such plan to be put into
effect.
The striking miners are enthusiasts
tic over the conventions 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 he called
probably at Indianapolis. in the course
OF several weeks. According to the
officials of the United Mine Workers.
a petition signed by five mine work
ers districts is necessary to call a
special convention. The three an.
thracite districts are unanimous for
such meeting, and it is likely that
the West Virginia district and the
Michigan district will consent to the
issuance of the call. The two latter
districts now have small but stubborn
strikes in progress, and they will
doubtless consent to the call, SC they.
too, may receive the benefit of what,
ever may be accomplished.
Other Miners to Strike.
National Secretary w. B.
Wilson, of Indianapolis, said yester.
day that within the next two or three
weeks, regardless of the special con.
vention, 10000 men in Virginia and
West Virginia, and from 15, 900 to 20,
600 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 incl
dentally to help the anthracite work
ers. These men. he went on to say,
are partly organized, local unions hav.
Ing been established in all localities
in those regions, and he felt confident
that the non-union men will respond
TO the strike call as readily as did
the anthracite miners in the fall of
1900.
A point has been raised that the
United Mine Workers cannot call out
the men employed by companies with
whom the miners have yearly con.
tracts or wage agreements, but Sec
rotary Wilson said that such is not
the case. He said that the mine
workers organization respects all
such agreements or contracts. but
added that general convention has
power to abrogate them if it seeks
such action necessary
Civic Federation May Take Hold.
Washington, May 1.-THE Ma
tional Civic Federation has under
serious consideration the means
whereby it may be helpful in bringing
about a termination of the anthracite
coal strike. A tender of the good Of
ices of the Federation, with a sugges-
lion of arbitration, of differences,
long other things, has been dis
rassed in te<tative way, but no
definite conclusion has been reached,
and several days will be permitted to
els pse before a determination will be
reached as to what course the FEEDER.
atm should pursue.
Some Foreigners May Desert Union.
Scranton, Pa, May ia commit
tee claiming to represent 800 non
English-speaking miners published a
cAsd in the papers yesterday denounc-
ing the statement that it was their
element which provoked the strike
and declaring that a general meeting
Of Lithunanians and Poles will be
cid today to petition the companies
start up the mines and let them
90 to work.
The United Mine Workers officials
laugh at the idea of the foreigners
making break from the union, and
declare that the committee In ques-
ton Is In the pay of the corpora
tons.