Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-02-08
GOAL INDUSTRY
FACES STRIKE
Organized Labor on Eve Of
Another Great Con-
fIiCt
AT PARTING OF The WAYS
Disruption Of Joint Agreement Is
Thought ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Of
Operators is Rejected by AImos,
Unanimous Vote,

Indianapolis, Ind, Feb. 2.-The re-
lection of the counter proposition Of.
fered by the coal operators of the cen.
trail competitive district by an almost
unanimous vote of the national con
vention of the united mine workers
and the adoption of a resolution Of.
fered by Secretary Ryan of Illinois
placing the miners on record as a
unit in refusing to sign an agreement
for any district until an agreement
was signed for all districts under the
jurisdiction Of the united mine work
ers has created situation which in
the opinion of the officials of the
miners organization will result in a
disruption or the Joint agreement ant
possibly one of the greatest strikes of
organized labor the country has ever
known
The action was taken during
called session OF the mine workers
national convention. which was called
TO order Immediately following a short
session of the joint conference of op,
orators and miners, during which the
joint scale committee reported that
it had been unable TO reach an agree
ment on any of the principal questions
involved and after #. l.. Robbins OF
Pittsburg, floor leader of the operators
had replied to President Mitchells
question that the operators had no
NF Inyv al -
miners, concluding his remarks with
the statement that il there was to be
an interruption of the joint agreement
ne wished the responsibility for such
severance Of relations TO be placed
upon the miners.
The counter proposition submitted
by the operators, which was said to
be their untimatum, provided for the
signing for another year of the pres
ent wage scale with certain modif-
cations to reimburse the Illinois oper.
ators for expense incurred under the
shot firers bill, now effective In that
state.
Much enthusiasm was manifested
in the proceedings CT the convention
at various stages, but the most Inn
portant step was taken with all due
gravity and after mature considera-
ton. Voices were heard counseling
further consultation with the operats
ors, but these same voices acknowl-
edged that little could be expected
from such a conference and declared
their constituents willing to abide by
the verdict of their representatives In
convention.
Immediately following the rejec.
ton of the operators proposal the
convention set about to provide means
for accommodating strike fund OF
$6,500,000 in addition to like amount
now on deposit in the international
district and subdistrict treasures of
the miners organizations.
Indianapolis, Ind, Feb. 3.-The
joint conference of operators and
miners adjourned yesterday without
reaching an agreement on a new
wage scale.
The apparent determination of both
operators and miners indicates that
neither will make overtures to the
other for future negotiations and as
indicated by the speeches Of both the
radicals and conservatives of both
organizations on the floor of the joint
conference, unless some influence
which is not now foreseen steps into
the breach, $4,000 men controlled by
the United Mine Workers of America
will walk out of the mines In every
section Of tie country on April /.
There have been limitations that
two agencies-the president of the
United States and the National Civic
federation may be appealed to to
set in motion negotiations looking to
rehabilitation of tho Joint state
agreement, or at least discussion
of some possible means of bringing
the operators and miners together
for further negotiations.
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.