Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-05-22
GREAT STRUGGLE ON
Anthracite Strikers Have q Plan
to Paralyze the Country.
NAY CALL OUT BI1UNIy0US MEN.



unanimously decided upon q plan
that, II carried into successful oper-
alton, would practically tie up the
industries Of the country, paralyze
business and inconvenience the peo-
pie throughout the United States.
It 10 their desire that Q special SEES
sion Of the convention Of the United
Mine Workers of America be called
as soon as practicable for the pur-
pose OF endeavoring to have all the
bitumlnous mine workers, both or
ganized and unorganized, involved In
the anthracite miners struggle.
This announcement was officially
made at noon yesterday by President
John Mitchell in statement giving
tho result Of the deliberations Of
the delegates in convention.
If q special convention is called
and tho miners succeed in their OBJ
ject it would directly affect $4,000
men, who are employed In and about
the coal mines Of the country. Coal
would soon become scarce and this
would ultimately result ~ the tying
up Of railroads and al sorta Of II.
dustries that use large quantities Of
The fuel II is doubted by some In
terested persons here who are close
ly watching developments that such
I stupcndous movement could be
brought about, for the reason that
the business interests Of the country
would not stand idly by and permit
such a plan to be put into effect.
The striking miners are enthusiastic
over the conventions action and
most Of them can see only success
in the proposition.
An absolutely trustworthy source
Is authority for the statements that
the special convention will be called,
probably to meet in indianapolis, in
the course of several weeks. Ac-
cording to the rule of the United
Mine Workers a petition signed by
five mine workers districts Is neces-
sary to call a special convention.
The three anthracite districts are
unanimous for such u meeting and 1t
is likely that the West Virginia dis
trict and the Michigan district will
consent to the issuance of the call.
The two latter districts now have
small but stubborn strikes in prog
ress and they will doubtless con-
sent to the call, so that they, too,
may receive the benefit of whatever
may be accomplished.
National Secretary-Treasurer W.
B. Wilson, of Indianapolis, said yes
terday that within the next two or
three weeks, regardless of the spe-
cial convention, 10000 men in Vir-
gina and West Virginia and from
$4,000 to 10000 in the soft coal region
Of central Pennsylvania will be on
strike. They will be called out, he
said, for the purpose of forcing the
mine owners to give them higher
wages and incidentally to help the
anthracite workers. These men are
partly organized.
The correspondent Of the Associ-
ated press made an effort yesterday
to learn what steps, II any, had been
taken in the direction Of a sympathy
strike OF other trades unions. II
was learned that some OF the labor
leaders of the country had informal
" discussed such a movement some
time before the present strike was
naugurated, but that no definite plan
presented itself,
The matter of calling out the engi-
neers, ilremen and pump runners
from the anthracite mines, to allow
the workings to become flooded and
damaged, was left by the convention
to the discretion of the national and
district officers. What they will dc
cannot be definitely learned, but il
seems probable that these men will
be permitted to remain at work for
the present ut least. It was said al
strike headquarters yesterday by ar
official that the United Mine Work
ers' organization has all along fol
lowed policy of protecting mint
property, on the ground that the de
struotion of accumulated wealth, a!
3 rule, ultimately affects the work
men seriously.
The coal companies continue theil
preparations for long struggle
Mine mules are being brought to TIN
surface and placed at pasture, clerk
and other employees are being laid Of
and other steps have been taken t,
keep down expenses. The coal car
rying railroad companies are layinl
of coal train crews every day an
the local electric railway company
which has lines to all the surround
Ing towns, has reduced It's servic
50 per cent. and placed its employee
on half time.
Cumharlnnd Praah IA m Assesnhlv