The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-18
CONGRESS
OF MINERS ).
For Fifteen Years Worlds
Gathering Has Beet,
Held.
THIS TIME MEET :y: IN PARIS
Owing to Various Nationalitics,
Fi.-st II t..t4- 4 Il ~.
THIS TIME MEET I:l IN PARIS
Owing to Various Nationalitics,
All Reports and Speeches
Have to be Translated.

Copyrighted. 1901. by John Mttchell0
PARIS. September 7.-For hve Gays
The representatives OF the miners OF the
world were meeting In the Bourse DO
Travail ut Paris under tho auspices OF
tho Miners International Congress. For
fifteen years this Congress has held an
nual sessions, at which questions OF m
tercst to the miners OF the world nave
been taken UP and discussed.
Tho meeting this year was the most
important since tho organization OF the
International Congress. r'or the first
,me In Its history there were present ut
the Congress delegates from the United
States, and thus the seYenty-scvcn5 mem-
bers represented almost all the coal mill
Ing countries OF tho world, or. In other
words, almost the cntirc coal mining
population OF the world, that Is. 2Qs9.50O
miners. There we're representatives from
al parts Of Great Britain. from Ger
many, Austria, France. Belgium and INC
United States, which countries produce
over ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Of the entire
amount OF coal mined. I
tits always extremely ditficult for men
Of different Snutionalitics and speaking
8 different languages to meet and discuss
q problems Of common interest The ma
jority OF The representatives. understood
y English. but neither French or German
while those who spoke either French or
German were Ignorant Of the other TWO
languages. As "A consequence. all the
i proceedings, including the speeches Oh
the dclegates, had to be translated and
retransla ted. so that It took thirty min
+ utcs for ten minutes speech to reach
the understanding OF all the delcga tcs.
However. the translators were extremely
able and the delegates limited their
speeches to the most important matters
with the result that the proceedings we're
very much more rapid and Ineligible
4 I ha a might have been expected ,4
s9g5It would be difficult To cxaBgcrate the
advantages which have resulted from
the annual meetings of the Miners Inc
ternational Congress. The effect has
been to inspire the delegates from the
more backward countries with the hope
OF Improving The condition OF the miners
whom they represent In the past the
f Initiative IN these Congresses was usu.
ally taken Dy the English miners. AL
first the German. French and Belgian
delegates were unfamiliar with parlia-
mcntary rules, and the course OF the
sessions was delayed by number OF
men trying to speak at once; but In the
last session, and In a number OF sesr
8 sions previous. the Congress was cei;-
Quoted in the mos Y admirable mcthod'
and the rules or parliamentary proceed
urc were adhered to most strictly The
y various nationali,ics displayed the ut
most courtesy and considera ton toward
r. one another. aud friendliness and good
fellowship rclgncd throughout the Con-
II Ercss.
since the beginning OF these annual
s Congresses the conditions OF European
miners have been everywhere Improved.
Wages have risen. the hours OF labor
have been reduced, and the sanitary
condition of the mines has been bet
,f,,g rj,,.I, 1T 10 iyr,a
mas been the prohibition by practically
all the countries represented OF work
by women inside the mines. While many
women IN Europe tpick slate and do other
rough work on the outside OF the mines.
almost none work inside. s3.
The proceedings OF the Congress are
conducted In rapid. sensible and bust
ncsslike manner. Each day president
I Is elected, who serves for that day only.
and for each nationality II separate prcsi-
I dent Is also elected. The credentials Of
the delegates arc passed upon BY.
81 only In cases OF dispute (Which have not
yet ariscn) are questions OF this sort
submitted to tho business committee.
This business, or International commits
tee. which agrees upon tho proceedings
and acts as a sort OF executive commit
tee. consists of one member from each
nationality. Tho delegates to the Con-.
gress must be either miners or minister's
secretaries. but the public are admitted
to the deliberations. In discussing any
measure or motion one speaker lis heard
F from each nationality and the speeches
are usually made as short as possible
in order TO prevent a needless waste OF
p time In translation ISL, l
Much OF the discussion during the
present Congress bore upon tho subjects
= or shorter working hours and the cstab-
lishment OF a minimum wage. The hours
4 Of abor have already been somewhat re-
duced In continental countries while in
England they are already shorter than IN
the United States. AS In America, tho
y miners OF Europe are Hcndeavorlng 10 SCI
cure a ersal&cight-hourdn day for min.
ers and considerable progress has already
3 been made In this direction.
The Congress was unanimous In Its
Vote to obtain BY such means as were
best suited to the situation in the varl-
Gus countries. the speedy esta blshment
OF a, minimum wage. The greatest pos
sible difference exists between tho wages
OF miners In various parts OF Europe
In Great Britain the wages, until the
last year or two. have been relatively
high, comparing not unfnvorably with
z tho wages OF American miners. In
France and Belgium, however. wages
are much lower and In certain parts or
Germany. notably In the Eastern or
s'lesian district and throughout AUS