Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-19
MAY BE GENERAL.
National Convention of Mine
Workers for July ".
May Result in Ordering a General
Strike Everywhere.
Though II Is Believed Conservative
Action Will Prevail.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 18.-The long
expected call for a special national
convention at Indianapolis of United
Mine Workers of America, was issued,
today, by National President Mitchell.
The date of the convention will be fixed
by w. b. Wilson, national secretary,
who has charge of the machinery by
which convention is arranged.
The convention will be held for the
purpose of discussing the advisablity
of involving all the soft coal miners in
the United States in the struggle now
going on in the anthracite coal fields.
Under the constitution of the union
five districts must request action be-
fore the national president can issue a
call for a national convention.
The five districts that applied for this
convention were the three anthracite
districts. the Michigan district and the
West Virginia district where a strike
is now on. President Mitchell has had
the consent of the five districts for
some time. but did not see fit to issue
the call until today.
There are approximately about 49,
900 coal miners in the United States.
OF these about $4,000, Mr.. Mitchell
says, are affiliated with the union and
on additional 10000 comply with the
legislation of the miners organization.
The anthracite delegates will go into
the convention with $4,000 striking
hard coal miners at their backs for a
general strike. The West Virginia del
egates will have approximately $4,000
behind them for a strike, and in Michi
gan. where the union has been having
trouble the delegates will also be for
a national suspension Central Penn
sylvania will contribute a certain num-
Der of delegates who will want a gen.
eraI strike. as will also Kentucky. 1t
remains for western Pennsylvania,
Illinois and Indiana to offset this, as
it is unofficially understood that the
miners in those sections are not very
enthusiastic for a general stoppage of
coal production.
There is a strong belief here that
President Mitchell has some plan to sub
nit to the delegates. He had a con-
ference with President Patrick Gilday
of the Central Pennsylvania bituminOus
district. Sunday. and has been in fire.
coal leaders in the West. The great
barrier to be overcome in the campaign
for a national suspension is the yearly
wage scale agreement that many of
the soft coal miners have with the
companies. These agreements are
looked upon as contracts and a large
percentage of miners in the West are
averse to breaking them. Those who
are opposed to a general strike use the
argument that if the soft coal miners
break these contracts to help the an
thracite men they would be losing in
the West what the hard coal miners
are fighting for in the East.
1t il. generally accepted by the
strikers that the real object of the an
thracite coal operators is to break up
the union in this Fart Of the country.
II is not improbable that the conserva-
tive men in convention will be able to
prevent IL general suspension and carry
through the convention some sort of a
compromise.
One plan that is talked of is to have
only the Central Pennsylvania and
West Virginia men help the anthracite
workers and another plan is to have
all the soft coal miners work only
certain number of days each week.
Failing to gain anything by either of
these two moves, then as a final card
stop the production altogether. All the
coal that is now coming East is from
Central Pennsylvania, West Virginia
and Maryland.
A delegation of Illinois leaders will
be here tomorrow. 1t is said they will
come merely to talk over local differ
ence in Illinois.
There will be about 1000 delegates in
the convention. National Secretary
Wilson has already started to send out
the call for the convention. The call y
sent direct to every local union.