The Yale expositor., 1906-04-06
LATE NEWS
OF STRIKE
GENERAL STRIKE ORDER
HAS NOT YET BEEN
ISSUED.
A PEACEFUL TRUCE, THEN JOHN
MITCHELL MAY GIVE LIFE TO
A GREAT STRUGGLE.
WOULD THE MINES BE WORKED
BY THE GOVERNMENT? THAT
Is ONE RUMoR NOW.
Quiet Before the Storm.

No general strike order was issued
by the national executive board of the
union mine workers of America as a
result of Saturdays meeting of that
body. The meeting was held TO com
plete arrangements to carry out the
policy committed to the board during
the national convention Of the miners
which closed Friday afternoon. This
was made effective by authorizing the
district and sub-district officers to
sign contracts wherever the operators
signify willingness TO pay the 1908
scale. Officially the operators do not
recognize the suspension of work or
dered by John Mitchell
But the moment Mitchell leaves the
conference with operators and reports
they cannot agree. the spirit of con-
fiict will spring to life. All plans on
both sides are made with this posi-
bility in view. In that event what
will happen? John Mitchell and his
associates will leave New York for
Wilkesbarre.
Then the companies will begin act
i've operations to save their mines
from flooding or filling with dangerous
gases. Two plans have been arranged
to be used, according to locality. One
Is to put non-union men TO work under
guard, and the other is to notify towns
TO save the property or it will be
abandoned.
According to a report from Wash
ington, il the coal strike becomes
acute, President Roosevelt may seize
and operate the mines with the aid of
the United States army. He Is said
to have compelled settlement Of the
strike of four years ago by threat to
do this very thing, defying threats of
impeachment made by Baer and other
coal barons.
Interest in the anthracite end of the
coal strike in New York when the
joint subcommittee OF operators and
miners will reassemble in another eff
fort TO find a basis of settlement for
the disputes in the hard coal fields,
and it is made more interesting by
the report that the operators may seize
the opportunity to finally break with
Mitchell and declare for the open shop.
So far as the operators are concern
ed. they do not expect TO come to any
understanding satisfactory to Mitchell
and his men. mo proposals to make"
is the operators stand. They will SIM
ply listen to what Mitchelps committee
may have to offer in the way of their
former demands, and then it is be-
lieved that they will again offer to
renew for another three years the re-
cent contract with the union. No one
expects that Mitchell will think for a
moment of accepting a renewal of the
old wage contract
The present strike is ia be seized
upon by the operators as an opportune
time for a final effort to break up
union control IN the anthracite fields.
Several Of the operators are enthus-
iastically in favor of establishing the
open shop in their collieries at any
cost and have gone on record as IA
voring the open shop policy. In order
TO insure an open shop victory the OPP
orators will offer an increase in wages
to such men as they desire, but upon
the specific understanding that thu
go to work as individuals and not as
members Of the Mine Workers of
America.
The operators assure the public
there is no reason for any inconven-
fence in the strike; that they have 10
washeries running and will secure an
even distribution of the coal on hand.