Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-25
STRIKE IS ORDERED
General Suspension of Business Decided On
by United Mine Workers.
PROVISIONAL DECLARATION IS MADE
Result of Vain Effort by Anthracite Men
to Secure Terms.
DATE OF STRIKE YET TO Be SELECTED
Will Not Be Fixed Until Final Appeal is
Made by Miners,
PRESIDENT MITCHELL ISSUES STATEMENT
Comedies a Complete Tie Up of Opera
tions I'm Great Anthracite Regions
,TE OF STRIKE YET TO Be SELECTED
PRESIDENT MITCHELL ISSUES STATEMENT
Comedies a Complete Tie Up of Opera
tions I'm Great Anthracite Regions
Imminent as Result of
Meeting.

sHAMoKIN, Pa. March 24-Unless the
Efforts Of the Civic Federation are effective
with the coal operators, IL is more than
likely that repetition OF the struggle of
1900 will recur in the anthracite region
In that year 100000 employees OF the an
thracite mines were on strike for six weeks
Should a strike occur as a result Of to-
days declaration over 144 900 mine workers
would be rendered idle. OF this number
nearly 100000 are on the membership rolls
of the union, the duties OF the remainder
being of character which renders them
ineligible to membership.
The convention today Of districts No. l.
Z and Q, United Mine Workers of America.
which districts comprise the entire an
thracite field, made a provisional strike
declaration, leaving the date to be decided
by the executive boards OF the three dis
tricts. This was practically the last on
cial act Of the delegates and the conyen-
ton adjourned sine die at 4 O'Clock this
afternoon.
The adoption Of the resolution contain
ing the ultimatum Of the mine workers
was 'ollowed by scene OF wild enthusiasm
and the opera house rang with the aoclama-
tion OF the delegates, who, with lusty
cheers, approved the work OF the special
resolutions committee and expressed their
confidence in President Mitchell.
Question of Recognition.
The convention at its session showed a
disposition to insist on the adjustment Of
the mine workers grievances, but the dele
gates were willing to relinquish the ques-
tion of recognition, providing other more
important concessions were granted. This
fact is evidenced in the resolution adopted
uh ata he
a shorter work day, a minimum day wage
scale, uniform increase in wages and the
weighing of coal wherever practicable.
The Civic Federation is regarded by the
delegates as the last hope OF the mine
workers in their demands for improved con-
ditions and the gravity OF the situation Is
manifested in the words OF President
MITCHELL; Il am free to say that to me a
strike seems imminent" sss ~ 5fyt a.
The purpose Of the convention in suspend
ing work at the mines three days in each
week after April 1, il negotiations are then
pending, is to prevent the storage OF coal
by the companies by producing an amount
sufficient only to supply the existing needs
of the market.
President Mitchell said tonight that there
had been a misapprehension concerning the
sentiment Of the convention. All OF the
delegates favored conservatism he said,
but they were unanimous in their demands
for an adjustment of their grievances.
Call on President Mitchell.
Resolutions had been presented to the
convention from all districts, but none of
them was satisfactory to the entire body of
delegates. 1t was then decided to place the
matter in the hands of President Mitchell
and the district presidents and vice presi-
dents. Before completing the draft OF the
resolutions President MitcneIl telegraphed
the presidents of the coal carrying roads
making a last appeal for a conference.
The, telegram was as follows:
by direction Of the miners convention
wire to ascertain II your company will join
other anthracite coal companies In confer
ence with committee representing anthra-
cite mine workers. for the purpose OF dis
cussing and adjusting grievances which af-
feet all companies and all employees alike.
Please answer"
He received several replies. one Of which
was from President Baer OF the Philadei-
phia and Reading Coal and Iron company.
and all Of which refused to meet tbs repre-
sentatives of the union. Others made no
Miners Act I'm Unison.
Ihe text OF the replies were not made
public. This resulted in the formulation of
the resolution presented today and, accord
ing to President Mitchell. It was adopted
without dissenting vote. The resolution
provides for the appointment OF a commit
tee by the three district executive boards
which will carry the mine workers de.
mands to the conciliation committee Of the
civic federation. with an appeal to that or
ganization for assistance.
The first executive board met tonIghk 20
select the fourteen delegates who, undsr
the provisions Of the resolution, are 70 com
prise the committee. After the nesting
President Mitchell said the members had
not been named, but men fitted for the mis-
sion by their knowledge Of the situation IA
the anthracite coal region would be Sc
Iected.
After adoption Of the strike resolution
President Mitchell made this statementi
"Our convention today unanimously
adopted the recommendation submitted by
a special committee composed Of the dis
trict presidents and vice presidents and
myself.
THE resolution recltes the efforts made
by the representatives Of the anthracite
mine workers TO secure a joint conference,
calls attention TO the repeated violations
OF the promises conveyed in their notices,
posted one year ago, as well as their fail
ure TO carry out the verbal understanding
reached with the representatives Of the
coal carrying railroads last March.
Wage Scale and Time.
1.-THE resolution also calls attention to
the wage scale which was drafted and
unanimously adopted by the convention, the
essential features Of which aTei
"a shorter work day; a minimum day
w1ge scale, uniform increase In wages and
the weighing OF coal wherever the physical
conditions OF mining would make II prac-
ticable.'
1T further explains that upon investiga-
tion Il is found that the average annual
earnings Of the anthracite mine worker is
considerably less than in any other i'm
portant American Industry, while the num-
Der OF fatalities and injuries in proportion
to the number Of peEons employed Is
greater than any other industry