Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-03
BIG COAL STRIKE
TO Be EXPECTED
MINERS SHOW NO SIGN OF
YIELDING
Annual Convention at indianapolis
dIourns--President or Civic
Federation May Be
Appealed To
BY Associated Press.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. Zone
of the most dramatic scenes ever wit
messed in national convention Of the
United Mine Workers of America was
the final adjournment of that body this
afternoon after discussion of the joint
conference of operators and miners of
the central and southwestern districts,
and after the national convention had
administered singing rebuke to one
OF the Oldest officers of the organiza-
ton for transgressing one Of the fun
damenta1 laws of unionism in voting
contrary to his instructions to stand
for an increase of wages.
When the lusty voices of the miners
mingled In the singing of america"
had hushed, an oppressive silence fell
upon the assembled delegates and, as
President John Mitchell slowly pro-
nounced the words which adjourned
the seventeenth annual convention
without day, thus dissolving every
hope of averting a gigantic Industrial
war without the Intervention of some
unexpected and powerful influence, the
miners marched out of the hall, their
faces set with a grim determination
which showed the steadfastness of pur-
pose which has marked the history
making session just closed.
The apparent determination of both
operators and miners indicates that
neither will make overtures for further
negotiation and unless some influence
now unforeseen steps into the breech,
55O,000 men controlled by the United
Mine Workers will walk out of the
mines in every section of the country
on April !. There have been intima-
tions that two agencies-the president
of the United States and the National
Civic Federation-may be appealed to
set in motion negotiations for q rehabil-
itation of the joint state agreement or
at least a discussion of some possible
means of bringing the operators and
miners together for further negotia-
tions. SO far as known, however, there
is nothing upon which to base an as
Sertion that either the president or
the civic federation have decided to
offer their services.
Perhaps the NEST significant state
Inents made by President Mitchell dur
ing any session of the present conven-
tion were made this afternoon, first in
his admonition to all the miners tina t
each individual make preparations to
establish strike fund which will make
each miner self sustaining for at least
a reasonable length of time and again
when, In answer to the question of n
delegate who wished to be enlightened
as to the correct sense of the reso-
luton adopted yesterday, he said:
THE resolution adopted yesterday is
capable of no two interpretations and
at the proper time all such questions
shall be answered.
During an interview this afternoon
president John Mitchell discussed some
of the phases of the situation.
"Never in the history of this country
has q strike of such far reaching effect
been threatened" said Mr.. Mitchell.
1T means a national suspension of
mining If the strike comes on at the
expiration of our mining contracts,
March 81 and 1t includes the anthra-
cite district
According to the figures given out
by the national officers of the miners
organization they expect the strike to
bring out over 800, 900 men-about $780,
600 non-union miners in West Virginia
and Pennsylvania with the 100000 union
miners.
OF this number about 100000 will be
out in the anthracite districts, $4,000 in
the Pennsylvania bitunnous districts.
$4,000 In Ohio 1900 in Indiana, 10000
in Illinois, 10000 in Iowa, 10000 in West
Virginia, 300 in Michigan and approxi-
mately $4,000 in Kansas, Missouri.
Texas, Indian Territory and Arkansas.
The states enumerated will be the
scene of the greater part of the bat
tie.
Mr.. Mitchell said that never in the
history of this country was there an
organization that could call out SO
many men on one strike having such
widespread effect.
"I have said," he declared, chat the
responsibility of bringing on such a
strike was a grave responsibility for
any people. We have been slow to as
sumo any such responsibility and the
responsibility rests. as any one can
see. on the operators.
"The prosperous condition of the
country warrants an increase for the
miners. We accepted a decrease two
years ago, when at the time we were
convinced that the conditions of the
country demanded it. We have ever
been ready to stand right and we stand
right now"
When questioned about the cost of
the anthracite strike he said that it's
cost had been estimated by the anthra- =
cite strike commission to be loss of
$25 100000 Of wages to the miners, $50,
100000 of profits to the operators, $780,
100000 loss in freight rates. There were
other items of loss that raised the
total figures much over 100000, 900 for
the strike. 1t lasted a little over
twenty-slx weeks.
Mr.. Mitchell estimated that -four
people are dependent on every miner
On this estimate a national strike such
as is planned Will affect over 1000, 00C
people dependent on the mining indus
try for their daily bread.
The dollar assessment would raise APP
proximately $2.5CO, 900 national treasury
funds by April /. This organization
now has in cash in its national district,
sub-dlstrict and local treasures $2,O75,-
13442. The two funds on April / will
probably place $5.000.0OO cash availa BILE
for strike purposes.