Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-01-21
MINERS MAY
CALL STRIKE
CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATION.
OF UNITED MINE WORKERS
MAY PREcIPITATE DISORDER
AMONG UNIONS

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. 21.--
!, A gigantic strike of coal miners,
which would in two months exhaust
the coal supply of the cou ltry ani
result in the greatest fue! famine
ever known in the United States. /
is one of the possible results # the
convention here of the Unltci Nine
| Workers of America. 4
| The convention will be tie mnst
| important in the history of he Uni
ted Mine Workers, not only 10 the
miners and operators, but to the
public at large is certain. 1t will
mark the retirement of job mitch
ell, admittedly the worlds most IN
f'uential labor leader, from the pres
idency of the organization, and this
! alone is sufficient to make the meet
/ ing a memorable one.
At this convention the question of
renewing the interstate agreement
will be taken up, and it is the pos
sible failure of the settlement or
this problem that may bring about
the greatest tieup of the coal MIN
ing industry ever known In the
United States. For many years he,
miners have been attempting to So
cure the adoption of set day /
all the agreements between the
mine workers and operators to ex-
pire By this l.ells the union
when seeking for 4. reascI pay Or
improved conditions and falling to
get the desired rests, might he in
a position to act rs 4 unit snl clt
off the entire snyp.y simultaneously
all over the country, thus forcing
the mine owners to meet their de-
mands. With universal agreement
day. the power of the mirt workers
would be doubled. The operators
realize this and will night any at
tenpt TO secure its adoption.
While both the miners and the
: operators declare that they desire
peace. both sides are actively en-
gagged in preparing for war. and the
significance of these preparations IS
not to be mistaken.
John MitchelI's retirement at
this time makes the situation al the
more precarious. With his firm
, hand removed from the helm there
may be breakers ahead for the
United Mine Workers. The candi-
OATS for the successorship to Mitch
ell are W. B. Wilson, the present
l observation-disclosures, and Thomas
I Lewis, the vice president. While
! both men are familiar with the worl
ings of the organization and are
able men, neither is likely to come
up to the standard set by Presiden
i Mitchell. who combined conserva
tism with fear1essness and ability Il
his management of the affairs of tn
organization. That the Unite
Mine Workers OF America has
membership of nearly half ar millio
and has become one of the stronges
labor unions in the world is du
largely to the efforts of John Mitcf
r ell, who built up the great army I
underground totlers with only
weak and inefficiently organize
men as nucleus.
All over the country the mine
ES are eagerly discussing the outcor
of the convention. They have hee
10 ed the advice of John Mitchell a.
Ar have been boarding their money
the struggle. The treasury of t
i j national organization is also
ported to be in sound conditiC
and the officers Of the various
- tricts are also well supplied W
nan coin.
ted The operators, too, have been p
ade pairing for trouble and have qufe
lose perfected a strong organizati
VIII Railroad officials have been stori
rty- coal for months past and wifi
Ma wei supplied when the test
strength between the miners and
con- operators comes to hand
ons, Another vital matter of gene
the public interest which viii be II
to considered in the convention is t
and of the terrible disasters which h
recently occurred in the mines
) Of the country. especially in West
reci- ginia and Pennsylvania. The Of
'ove- ators will probably receive dem
state to adopt measures for more effect
erch- ly safeguarding the life and liml
ton, miners. The last year has been
vice, of many fatalities for the n
sncy, workers, nearly 1000 men hay
erri- lost their lives in the recent n
lonal horrors at the Darr mine in Conn
rirln Pam the Consolidated m