Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-03-31
MINERS WILL
STRIKE TONIGHT
Unless Operators
Sign the Wage
Scale.
CONTROL or MINES
Predicted---To Be Operated
By Government for Good
of Consumers.

Indianapolis, March 31.-The nation
! Ill executive board of the United Mine
Workers of America, held session
today to take up in detail the manage
ment of the strike which will be in.
augurated in the anthracite and bi.
luminous coal mining districts of the
country at the close of work today.
Men numbering 509,500 will leave the
mines this evening, not to return un-
/ Ill their employers have signed the
wage scale demanded by the miners
lin the national convention. In the cen
trail competitive districts composed Of
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and western
Pennsylvania, Monday will be the
eighth anniversary Of the eight hour
iday consession and will be observed
las usual as a holiday Before the
board went into executive session to-
day the members said the strike order
would not be issued but at the close
OF work today, The men would leave
the mines with their tools and would
not return until the scale had been
signed by the operators and they had
been so notified by their district Off
.cia!s.
, An Order Against Violence.
ssrhe members Of the board said that
every step possible would be taken to
prevent violence and a formal declara
tion 10 the miners fOrbidding riOting
or destruction of property and urging
chem to properly conduct themselves,
would be issued.
Kansas Miners Strike Tonight.
Pittsburg, March 31.-unless the
Unexpected happens, the mines in
Tie Kansas coe.a district will shut
down tonight. The strike affects 10
900 miners in 200 mines.
Steel Company Shuts Down Be-
cause of Strike.
East st. Louis, March 31.--The Re-
public Steel Company suspended op-
erations today with the announcement
that the suspension is due to the i'm
pending coal strike. The plant uses
500 cars of anthracite coal a month
and employs 1,50O men. Having no
facilities to store large amount of
coal it was decided not to attempt to
continue operations
Government May Operate Mines.
Chicago March 31.-The Tribune's
Washington correspondent says:
"It is a serious thing to say, yet be-
lieve am justified in saying that If
the strike of the coal miners is per-
mitted to continue to a point where
the piled up stocks are practically ex'
hausted the government of the Uni.
ted States either through the Presi-
dent or Congress, or both, will take
action in the interest of the people,
or no constitution. That
is the feeling among men ordinarily
conservative. They do not believe
that Congress or the President has
the right to dictate the terms on
which the men shall operate the mines
or the miners shall work in the mines.
They do believe, however, and their
opinion was expressed by high Off
cial within the wall of the White House
itself yesterday that If any such crisis
arises, the government will take pos
session of the mines and operate them
for the benefit of the people and turn
over the money to the proper owner,
leaving the miners and operators to)
agree among themselves If they can.
A Few viii Sign Wage Scale.
indianapolis, Ind, March 31.--It is
anticipated that within few days the
wage scale will be signed by $4,000
miners. The Pittsburg Coal Company
is expected to sign at once, along with
a number of Independent operators
The miners expect to get the advance
asked soon in all the Indiana mines
south of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail.
road, in number of central Indiana
mines, in one-half Of the Illinois mines,
and in a large percentage Of the mines
of Ohio. The duration of the strike
In Michigan, Kentucky, central Penn.
sylvania, Iowa and West Virginia can
best be determined after the meetings
of the state conventions, when the op-
orators will make expressions as to|
their intentions. The miners expect
that very few operators in the south
west will sign at once. The joint
conference Of this district adjourned
yesterday after disagreemg and after
the miners had unanimously declared
to submit the matter to commission
appointed by President Roosevelt.
DoIan Not Expelled.
The convention yesterday failed to
expel Patrick Dolan and Uriah Bell
ingham, the Pittsburg district officials,
from the organization, the vote which
was taken resulting in their favor.
The controversy was referred back TO-