The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-03-01

National Convention OF Mine WorkeTs
VIII Be Held March IS to Try to
Reach Agreement With Mine own
ers-Mr. Roosevets Letter.
New York, Feb. 81 - President
Roosevelt has again interviewed as a
peacemaker between the coal miners
and operators. and as a result OF a
letter addressed by him to John
Mitchell. president OF the United Mine
Workers Of America, national con
vention OF the United Mine Workers
will be held March - TO try To reach
an agreement with the soft coal oper-
ators in the hope of ayerting the
threatened strike Of April / in the bi-
luminous coal fields.
The presidents letter and the an
nouncement that the national conyen-
ton would be called were made pub
lie bv Mr. Mitchell. after conference
with Francis L. Robbins, president OF
the Piusburg Coal company. and
chairman OF the bituminous operators.
The presidents letter to Mr..
Mitchell follows:
"White House, Washington, Feb. "a.
Sir note with very great con
cern the failure OF your late conyen'
ton on the joint interstate agreement
10 come TO basis Of settlement OF
the luminous mining scale OF wages.
You In this business have enjoyed a
great Industrial peace for many. years.
thanks to the joint trade agreement
that has resulted In the action OF your
successive conventions
"a strike such as is threatened on
April ! is a menace to the peace and
general welfare OF the country. ! urge
yon TO make a further effort to avoid
such a calamity.
you and Mr Robbins are Joint
chairmen Of the trade agreement com
mittee OF the National Civic Fedora
ton and # seems 10 me that this i'm
poses additional duty upon you both
and gives an additional reason why
each OF you should join in making a
further effort. Very respectfully
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Mr. Mitchell announced that after
the reading Of President Rooseyelts
letter it was agreed both by himself
and the operators that the national
convention should be called. The min
ers we're in session recently at In
dianapolis. but failed to reach an
agreement with the operators. Presi'
dent Mitchell himself has been quoted
as saying that so far as he knew there
would certainly be a strike In the bt
luminous fields April /.
The negotiations for an agreement
between the hard coal workers and
the anthracite operators have been
progressing smoothly, to all outward
appearances. and arrangements have
been made for a joint conference Wed
nesdav between the subcommittee
having the settlement of the Difficult
ties in hand.
With the anthracite negotiations
we'll under way. President Mitchell has
been devoting most of his time re-
Gently to efforts to bring about a set
tlement of the differences In the soft
coal regions.
Mr. Mitchell has not announced any
details of the conference, nor did he
cav lust when the call for the cOnven-
ton. which will fix the place Of meet
ing. will be sent out March 10 he be-
Iieves is the earliest date the conven-
ton can be summoned and he believes
that If there is to be peace the two
weeks between the date fixed for the
miners assembly and April !, when
the present agreement with the oper-
ators expires, is sufficient time to
hiring about the desired result Mr..
Mitchell would not indicate what new
propositions will be placed before the
miners. but significance is attached to
his statement that the operators
agreed that the convention should be
called. Concessions, maybe on both
sides. will be offered, and President
Roosecelt's interest in the situation
will be held as an additional reason
for bringing about a new agreement.