New-York tribune., 1902-10-17
CONVENTION MONDAY.
MITCHELL ADVISES THAT THE
MEN RETURN TO WORK.
BLACKSNuTHS ORDERED INTO THE
NuNES-NICHOLS OPPOSES ACCEPT
ING ARBITRATION PLAN.

wiIkesbarre, Penn, Oct. ia conference OF
the mine workers will be held In this city on
Monday morning, and. it is expected by the
leaders tonight. work will be resumed on
Thursday.
Tonight President Mitchell. seeming sure oe
his position. directed that all the blacksmiths
from the mines who were on strike should re-
turn to work in order to shoe the mules and
have them in readiness TO go into the mines
when work is started.
The acceptance Of the operators propositions
and the decision to resume work will not be ac-
complished without struggle. II became evil
dent at the preliminary conference OF the dis
trtct board members to-day that there was
much objection to accepting the proposition as
il stands at present. Many Of the strikers say
that they are determined TO hold out for 10
per cent increase and recognition OF the union,
while others want a definite increase before
they return to work
The most vigorous objection, however Is now
forming. The strikers find that they must re-
turn to work and take whatever places the
operators are disposed to give them. OF the
several thousand nOn-Unicn workers now in the
mines the operators declare that not one will
be displaced. The strike leaders do not make
definite statement this subject. They dis
cussed it at the conference this afternoon, and
partly covered the subject by saying that the
men would return to work in their former
places, but. according to the operators. they
have no authority for such statement.
THE CALL FOR A CONVENTION
After the conference the call for a convention
of the delegates was issued 1t was a. fol-
lows.
Wikesbarre. Penn, October IS
To 5he officers and members OF all local unions in
districts j, and 9.
ientlemen: Al meeting Of the executive boards
issue cali for a delegate convention and recon-
workn p1ees ana 70 bSir {nS + former ms g05I{ohs ana
pointed by the President of the United States all
questions at issue between the operators and mine
workers Of the anthracite coal fields.
In pursuance whereof you are hereby notified that
P convention Viii De held In the city OF yilkesbsrre
III The purpose OF the convention will be 70 act
Local unions viii hold meetings not later than
Friday night and name delegaIes 10 attend said
The basis of representation will be one vote for
each one hundred members or less and addi-
tlonal vote FOR each additional hundred men,
bers. majority fraction thereof The president
ana secretary OF each local union will NIL out one
be given TO the deIegafe eIered a5S IS Sh31d
should be placed in the hands OF dfstTict - boa~i
members not later than Saturday night. The dis
trict board members are instructed TO have all
eredsntias in the hands of the credentiaI commit
It is recommended that delegates be given full
power power and authority to act in behalf Of their local
viii The be pa%e SsS & qf the h hall in yhish the convention
modatiQns are being aTranged and Wt 5 accom-
g nqgynced 70 Gelegates upon their arrival
" J9HX Is ySrA MAITTSHELLe IT, President L. NJ W. ora
GEORGE HARTLIN. Secretary OF Meeting
II took the members three hours to decide
TO issue the call, and each hour was filed with
vigorous argument all sides of the question.
President Mitchell found that there was much
opposition to the measure. which he had pre-
Viously proposed in a statement to the public.
NICHOLS LEADS OPPOSITION.
The opposition led by President Nichols
OF District No. l. who had opposed Mitcheus
course in the conventions Immediately pre-
cedlng the strike and 10 whom has been given
the credit of forcing the strike when Mitchell
and other leaders We're against it, Some believe
that If he tries he can make hard fight be-
1ore the convention on Monday against accept
ing the proposition OF the operators and return
ing to work
In the conference this afternoon the chief OBJ
lection was to President Roosevelt being re-
stricted in his selection Of the arbitrators. and.
though il explained by President Mitchell
that sixth man had been added and the per-
sonnel changed, this did not stay the protests
against accepting such plan. Another clause.
MIR. Mitchell explained. had been modified The
plan originally stipulated that the time the
finding of the commission should remain in
effect should be three years Mitchell had previ-
ously proposed that the time be not less than
one year or more than five. and this provision,
he said. had been adopted. As TO the desire
that the finding should be in effect from the
day the men resumed work. instead OF the date
being fixed by the commission he explained that
he was assured the commission would not hag-
gle over that point and that the strikers would
be treated with consideration.
There was one point he could not make clear.
1t was the manner in which the grievances OF
the strikers should be presented TO the opera
tors. That point which is most important TO
the union. is, 1t appears. in the hands of the
commission TO decide They may either ask
committee composed of the strikers leaders. TO
present the grievances TO them. they may
desire that committees representing each of the
seventy-1ve operating companies present the
separate and distinct grievances of each COM
pany's employees. The operators desire the lat
ter course. il is understood, and have taken that
view of the situation in their proposition, saying
that they have made the proposition to their
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