New-York tribune., 1906-05-05
STRIKE DECISION TO-DAY
IN HANDS or MITCHELL.
Majority of Delegates Thought To
Be OppOSed to Peace.

Scranton. Penn, May 4.-The United Mine
Workers convention OF delegates from the three
anthracite districts which has been in session
here the last two days considering the refusal
of the mine operators to grant the demands OF
the mine workers, will declare itself finally and
definitely tomorrow, probably tomorrow morn
ing That is the only thing that be said
with any certainty tonight
The entire situation is now believed to rest
with President John Mitchell. Theoretically. II
is in the hands OF the general scale committee
but in reality Mr.. Mitchell is the guiding spirit
Of that body
The convention. at it's session this afternoon
which was a very brief one, decided to refer the
entire question to the general scale committee
OF thirty-six, with instructions to report recon-
mendations to the convention tomorrow morn
ing at 10 o'clock
The reference brought into the situation, for
the first time since the delegates began to ar
rive in the city. possible suggestion Of peace.
though it is generally believed tonight that
the majority Of the delegates still favor the
declaration OF a strike.
The general scale committee went into session
at . o'clock this afternoon. Immediately follow
ing the adjournment of the convention. 1t re-
mained in session until after o'clock. when
president Mitchell announced that the entire
matter had been referred by the general COM
mittee to the subcommittee and Secretary
Treasurer W. B. Wilson. of Indianapolis. who
arrived in this city to-day. The members Of the
subcommittee, in addition to President Mitchell,
are District Presidents Nichols. Dettrey and
Fahy and District Secretaries Dempsey, Gal
lagher and Hartlein The subcommittee held
an extended session tonight
Mr.. Mitchell said that the committee would
submit resolutions and recommendations to the
convention tomorrow. but further than that he
would say nothing. He refused to make any
statement concerning the sentiment prevailing
in the convention to-day.
Secretary Treasurer Wilson made an extended
speech at the opening Of the afternoon session
No official statement concerning the nature Of
his remarks made public and there are
conflicting reports concerning it, One report Is
that his speech was purely non-committal and
that the gist Of 1t was a mere call to the dele
gates to stand by the union.' This seems TO
be the report most credited. Another report has
it that he practically advised against strike
It is said that the purpose of Mr.. Wilson's
visit to this city is to give the leaders Of the
organization some definite information concern
ing its financial condition at the present time
and to put them in close touch with the situa-
ton In the bituminous field. where he has been
in charge for the last few weeks He made the
statement to-day that in his opinion if a strike
of the anthracite miners is called the majority
of the bituminous operators viii sign the union
scale at once.
The convention will tomorrow do one Of three
things. These three points are succinctly set
forth In the last paragraphs of the scale COM
unittee's general report. which was made to the
convention at this mornings session as follows:
"You will observe that your committee has
made every possible effort to reach agree
ment as to the wages and conditions of en-
ployInent; that they have proposed-subject
to your approval-an arbitration Of the differ
ences between US; that our proposals have been
rejected in toto, and that our offer Of arbitra-
tion upon basis just to and fair to them
has been declined.
I'VE regret the circumstances which compel
us to report our inability to reach agree
ment upon which an honorable peace could be
maintained in the anthracite fields.
If it is true-and believe it is-that the
operators have made their final proposition
there is nothing left for us to do but to accept
for period Of three years. renewal OF the
award Of the anthracite coal strike commission
of the conditional and restricted method Of
arbitration proposed by the operators. or to
strike until we secure better conditions than
are now offered by our employers"