The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-03-03
MITCHELL TO CALL I. !:
MEETING Of MINERS
Announcement Is Made After
Conference Between Opera
tors and Workmen Relative
To Troubles In the Coal Min
ing Regions.
Letter From President Roose-
welt Urging Further Eff forts
To Try and Decide On Peace
Terms, Principal Cause Of
Important Action.

NEW YORK. Feb. 26.-President
Roosevelt has again interviewed as n
peacemaker between the coal miners
and operators and as the result Of a
letter addressed by him to John Nit
chell, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, a national con-
Vention Of the United Mine Workers
to try to reach an agreement with the
soft coal operators in the hope Of
avoiding the soft coal strike April l.,
in the soft coal fields.
The presidents letter and the an
nouncement that the national conven-
ton would be called were made public
tonight by Mr.. Mitchell after long
president of the Pittsburg Coal COM
pany, and chairman Of the bituminous
operators, who came to New York at
the end of last week. Also present at
the conference were w. C. Perry, Of
the Southwestern Coal association, and
9. F. Bush. representing the soft coal
interests allied with the Gould rail-
roads,
President Roosevelt's Letter.
The presidents letter to Mr.. Mitchell
follows:
white House, Washington, Feb. "a,
1906.
"Sir:-I note with very great con-
Germ the failure of your late conven-
ton on the national joint agreement to
come to an adjustment on the bitumi-
nous coal scale. You in that industry
have enjoyed a great industrial peace
for many years, thanks to the joint
trade agreement that has resulted In
the action of your successive conven.
lions. A strike such as is threatened
on April is a menace to the peace and
general welfare Of the country. I urge
you to make further effort to avoid
such a calamity.
men of the trade agreement committee
Of the National Civic Federation and
it seems to me that this imposes adj
ditional duty upon you both and gives
an additional reason why each of you
should join in making further effort.
Very respectfully,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
The conference did not adjourn until
nearly o'clock tonight, when Mr.. Mitch
President Roosevelt's letter, it was
agreed 10th by himself and the operators
that the national convention should be
called. The miners were in session re-
Gently at Indianapolis, but failed to
reach an agreement with the operators.
President Mitchell, himself, has been
quoted as saying that as far as he knew
there would certainly be a strike in the
bituminous fields, April l.
Negotiations Proceeding Smoothly.
The negotiations for an agreement be-
tween the hard coal workers and the an
thracite operators have been progressing
smoothly to all outward appearances and
arrangements have been made for a
joint conference Wednesday between the
subcommittee having the settlement OF
the difficulties in hand.
With the anthracite negotiations well
under way, President Mitchell has been
devoting most of his time to bringing
about a settlement of the differences in
the soft coal regions.
March Is Probable Date.
Mitchell has not announced any details
of today's conference. March Is, he be-
lieves is the earliest date the conven-
ton can be summoned and he believes
that If there is to be peace, the two
weeks before the date fixed for the min
ers' assembly and April l when the pres
ent agreement with the operators ex-
pires, is sufficient time to bring about
the desired result. Mr.. Mitchell would
not indicate what new propositions would
be placed before the miners, but signff-
canoe is attached to his statement that
| the operators at today's conference
agreed that the convention should be
| called. Concessions may be made on both
! sides, as President Roosevelt's interest IL
| the situation will be held as an addition
| al reason for bringing about a new agree
ment.