The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-03-10
MITCHELL SAYS STRIKE
Soft Coal Miners Ignore His Advice
and Reject Reduction.
SCALE CONFERENCE DISSOLVED

Nearly All Miners Vote Against Ac'
cepting Lower Scale, Which Was
Equivalent to Calling out over
100000 Men April I.
indianapolis Ind. March This
means strike" said John Mitchell
when overriding his advice and threat
OF Vice President Lewis and Secretary
Wilson, the United Mine Workers In
national convention refused to accept
the utimalum Of the operators for a
$50 per cent. reduction in the mining
scale in Western Pennsylvania. ohio,
Indiana and Illinois
Though the ultimatum was from the
operators Of these four states 10 the
miners OF the four states. and In the
past only these miners have voted on
the scale. the delegates from all Of the
districts. including the anthracite yot
cd against accepting the reduction.
which was equivalent to voting for "A
strike on April /, for not only the
$4,000 mon in the four states but the
additional $1,000 union miners in
Maryland. Michigan. Central Pennsyl-
yania. West Virginia. Kentucky and
Iowa. whose contracts expire on that
date.
Their contracts are always based on
that for the central competitive field.
A motion to refer the matter 10 the
locals and TO continue work on April
/ pending a final settlement was also
lost on a sweeping vote.
In the Join conference. following the
miners convention. the operators and
miners all voted Aye" on the PROPOSE.
ton to|adiourn made by F. l.. Rob
bins and seconded by John Mitchell.
The vote was not taken. however. IN.
III after the joint subscale committee
had held a hurried conference. The
unanimous vote not only disrupted the
interstate movement that since
brought into existence In 1897, has
been the highest type OF arbitration
between capital and labor ever known
in this country but also settled the
issue
1T means the dissolution Of the In.
ter-state movement and n strike said
President Mitchell
we are through" said F. L. Rob.
bins. floor leader OF the operators,
"and in the issue we will go into a
strike confident that the people Of the
country. even the union men. will up.
hold Us. It looks like the miners have
made a great mistake by ignoring the
advice of their officers who have been
faithful TO them in the past and who
showed the highest type OF fidelity by
advising the miners to accept the
slight reduction and sign scale for
two years that would still have left
them in a time of declining markets,
with a full per cent increase over
the pay they were receiving prior &c
the advance given year ago. In
this Interstate partnership we have
given IS yer cent increase In seven
years. and when conditions forced US
10 ask for reduction. we have taken
nothing from the miners"
The leaders on both sides. though
the break has come. are hoping that
some steps will be taken before April
/ 20 bring about a resumption OF joint
relations. The miners met by states
and appointed committeeman 10 meet
with President Mitchell and outline
the policy for the future.
There is a strong element-the ele
ment that ruled the day-in favor OF
canceling all working contracts, also
setting aside the anthracite award. and
calling all OF the miners OF the country
out on strike. President Mitchell is
opposed TO the breaking of contracts
and says he will use his efforts 10 nave
the anthracite miners keep the re-
quirements Of the strike commissions
award.
The miners have s1.000.000 in their
national treasury; another sl0o0,O0O
i'm the district treasures.