New-York tribune., 1902-06-18
STRIKERS PLAN NEW MOVE.
MAY CAUSE SOFT COAL STRIKE WHOLE
REGION IS EXPECTANT.
IRr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. J

Wilkesharre Penn June 17-That President
Mitchell will shortly order national convention
to consider the advisability of soft coal strike
is asserted tonight good authority. although
he maintains absolute silence the subject He
had 4 long conference today with several of the
most prominent officials of the union and was al
terward in very bad humor If he had been
forced to do something against his better Judg-
ment. 1t is known that he is doubtful whether
soft coal strike order would be popular or whether
the national convention would declare a soft coal
strike, while the other leaders are in favor OF
pushing TO the extreme That something
is in the air is evident. There is talk of the soft
coal men restricting their work to three days
week. That this move is under consideration IS
practically admitted at headquarters tonight
While few Of the would talk Secretary
Hartlein. of the ninth district, who attended the
conference to-day. said:
We have practically succeeded in getting out all
mine workers but campaign IS not complete
For TO tell what our next move will he Wouu
give our ammunition to the enemy, but am ifee
10 say that Things are gong 10 napPth pi 80;
soon now that will put new complexion on @ ulis
forced by the operators for the purpos" ol " "
Stroying union. That Will never happen We
this country and before the United Mine Workers
America is destroyed every industry IN the couh-
aT ~1i our Os Strong TG uP ies Ii Every railroad in the
will be compeIled to suspend operations before our
union Is broken. We cannot be beaten, ana our
our efforts are being continued to keep our men
quiet and We having difficulty Violence
is always strike breaker. and. though the opera
do rot propose to be led in this way The operators
would like nothing better than 70 get out II
militia for this would mean crisis that Woulu
be likely terminate in a victory for the opera
tors.
AS the situation is now. there is nothing moving
from the strikers standpoint and the operators
are making gains The strike of the fire bosses
and others called out by the order of yesterday IS
a fzzle There has been practically no response
and the operators unanimous IN saying 'hat
they have lost no fire bosses and few others anu
are gaining new men daily.
The forces Of the operators are now being IN
creased by a number Of college boys fresh from
school MANY ioin for the fun they in it, and
others need the s. 90 day. board and lodging tax
ing II in preference to jobs walters at summer
resorts There are not than a hundred oI
these bows at work They are employed guards
or a the fires and pumps. and. though tle NE Is
hard they are not shirking their work
There was no violence reported to-day and the
whole region is in the condition of waiting
for something it knows not what but some
thing Even the operators have caught the
contagion. and believe that the next few days
will show some new move the part OF me
/ strikers which Will change the present conql-
ultimate defeat OF the strikers. II they are not
/ able 10 gain aid from the other labor organlZa-
tOns of the country. sufficient to not only suIIi H
the strikers but force the Operators from tne
stand they have taken.
Charles Robinson. the coal guard who was shot
at the Olyphant mine on Sunday morning. Is to-
: aay pronounced out Of danger, and VIII recover
The ball passed through his left lung.
/ President Fahev of the strikers. made an eStl-
,,ata +oda,- Of the length of the trains required
each dav TO pull the coal this region 10
market under normal conditions ana found they
,I-eek9av % the year. carrying about l95ooo tons
of coal and being handled by over 1,lJo trainmen