The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-17
CONVENTION CALLED ID
 PASS ON QUESTION MONDAY
Satisfaction Is Expressed Everywhere Over Prospect of Early Resump- ton of Work-No Objection
 Heard to Commissioners.

kAE The executive boards of the WW three anthracite districts of the United Mine Workers of America in joint session today unanimously decided to recommend to a delegate convention of the striking miners the acceptance of the arbitration proposition submitted by the President of the United States, and it is reasonably certain that the advice will be followed and the great struggle brought to a close.
 The convention will be called to order in this city Monday morning and it is the hope and the belief of the officers of the union that the mining of coal will be re- sumed before the close of next week af- ter a suspension of more than five months. The citizens of the entire region are much elated that the strike is almost over because business in the coal fields has been practically paralyzed since the strike began.
 From the time the news was received late last night until about 10 o'clock this morning there was some doubt as to how the miners would receive the modified plan. President Mitchell was asked to make some expression on the proposition, but he steadfastly refused. He was pressed by the correspondents for state ment, and finally at 10 o'clock he cleared up the situation by issuing bulletin in which he gave his personal approval to a settlement of the strike by the settle ment commission.
 District Board Meet.
 It was not until 2 o'clock that the thir- tv-seven members of the district boards were called into session, which lasted two hours and fifteen minutes. The con ference was held behind crossed doors and a bond of secrecy was placed on every man present. These are the same mer which on May 8 last ordered the strike to begin. which action was approved, in the face of MT. Mitchell's opposition by the Hazleton convention few days later IL is expected some objections will be raised on the floor of the convention, but the or hcers are confident that the opposition will disappear when President Mitchell explains all the features of the modified proposition to the delegates.
 A question was raised today as to whether Commissioner Wright, who will be the recorder of the commission, shall have the right to vote in case the SIX other members of the board are equally divided on any question in connection with a settlement. Mir. Mitchell, when nsked, appeared to be sure that he could not. and other officials of the union were uncertain of Mir. Wright's status. The matter of the terms or years that the agreement shall be in force was also source of much inquiry. Tne union was strongly opposed to the operators fixing the term of years.
 President Mitchell, for some reason, did not care to discuss any feature of the arbitration agreement while the matter was still in the hands of the miners.
 Will Begin Work Thursday.
 If the plans of the strike leaders are not disarranged, general resumption of mining will take place about next Thurs day. It is expected the convention will last two days, and there will be an inter val of one day from the time the conven- tion adjourns until the time set for the men to go back to the mines If the con- vention should be in session on Wednes- day it is probable resumption would not take place until Friday.
 It was a lively day around strike head quarters MT Mitchell during the morn ing had many callers who came to con- qratulate him and in the afternoon he was engaged with the three district boards Telegrams of congratulation from all parts of the country came to the leader of the miners during the day.
 The coal companies, anticipating the ending of the strike next week, are busily engaged in preparing for resumption. Tens of thousands of coal cars are in the regions ready for loading and extra efforts will be made in moving them to tbe large distributing centers once mining Ia resumed. It is estimated that more than 200 of the $50 colleries will be in oneration by the end of next week ana vyill produce enough coal to relieve the situation. An authority in coal mining said that the coal companies, result or fhe strike, are thirty millions of tons be- hind.
 Only Two Galleries Crippled.
 Scranton, Pa. October 16.-Of the ninety-eight collieries operated by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, the Delaware and Hudson, the Temple, the Erie. and the Ontario and Western com- nanies only two which were allowed to anod cannot be re-opened at once. At sortv-four of these places some work has heen going on. At most of the others men have been under ground for several weeks making repairs.