Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-19
HALF MILLION MEN
MAY GO ON STRIKE
Indications Are That All
Soft Coal Miners In
United States
Will Strike.

WILKESBARRE, Pa, June 1s.-The
long expected call for a special national
conference Of the United Mine Workers OF
America was issued today by President
Mitchell at strike headquarters to be held
at Indianapolis at the earliest possible
date The date of the convention viii be
fixed by w. B. Wilson, national secretary
OF Indianapolis.
The convention will be held for the pur-
pose Of discussing the advisability Of in
volving all the soft coal miners in the
United States in the struggle now going
on in the anthracite coal fields. Under
the constitution, five unions must request
action before the national president can
issue a call for a national convention.
President Mitchell has had the consent OF
the necessary five districts for some time.
but for some reason did not see At to Is
sue the call.
President Mitchell was extremely un-
communicative as to what the probable
action Of the convention might be- II the
delegates should decide TO inaugurate
national suspension of coal mining every
body at strike headquarters believe Il
would have disastrous effect on the In
dustries Of the country. The supply Of
small industrial establishments would be
compelled to suspend operations and many
railroads would also seriously suffer.
There are approximately about $4,000
coal miners in the United States. or
these about $4,000, Mr.. Mitchell says. are
affiliated with the union and an additional
80 900 comply with the constitution of the
miners organization II is entirely inn
possible at this distance to forecast whae
the national gathering will do, because not
one delegate has yet been elected.
The anthracite delegates will go into the
convention with 1920 striking hard coal
miners at their back for general strike.
EnT1 Tee rrrf11 he
approximately 5000 behind them for
strike and in Michigan where the union
has had trouble the delegates win also be
Instructed for a national suspension.
Central Pennsylvania will contribute a GER
tain number of delegates who viii want
a general strike, as viii also Kentucky.
1t remains for Western Pennsylvania
Ohio. Illinois and Indiana to Offset this.
as It was unofficially understood that the
miners in those sections are not very en-
thusiastic for a general stoppage of coal
production.
There is a strong belief here that Pres
ident Mitchell has a plan to submit to the
delegates and this belief is strengthened
by the fact that he delayed the call 50
long. He had conference with President
Patrick Gildax. Of the Central Pensylxr
vania bitdminous district, on Sunday ana
has been IN frequent communications with
other district leaders IN the west.
The barrier to be overcome in the cam
paign 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 rather averse
to breaking them. The principal bone Of
contention in the anthracite region is for
a yearly wage agreement. Those who are
opposed to a general strike use the argu-
ment that If the soft coal miners break
these contracts and go on strike to help
the anthracite men they would be losing
in the west what the hard GOAL miners are
fighting for in the east.
IT is not improbable that the conserva-
tive men in the convention will be able to
prevent a 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 any
thing by either OF these two moves then
as a final card, stop the production al
together. All the coal that is now COM
ing out is from Eastern Pennsylvania,
West Virginia and Maryland.