Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-02
MINERS TO END
MEETING SOON
DELEGATES TO DIES MONIES sPE
cIAL CONVENTION MAY
FINISH WEDNESDAY.
MAY PATCH UP PEACE
Delegates Found on Spending Sunday
at Home, That Sentiment Is in
Favor Of Settling Diff
culties In Iowa.

FdvOT VI oCklltuS biiif
culties In Iowa.
Des Moines, Nov. Saturday
many of the delegates to the special
convention of the Iowa district of the
| United Mine Workers of America,
which has been in session at Odd Eel
lows hall since Tuesday of last week,
returned to their homes to spend Sun
day among the rank and file of the
miners. They will return with definite
| instructions to cease the fighting
which has been gradually widening
the gap between the White and Baker
factions over the Centerville contro-
versy is confidently predicted by the
officials of the organization.
The work accomplished during the
five days that the convention was in
session last week amounted to very
little. Only two votes were taken. The
convention upheld the executive board
/ in its reversal Of the findings of the
Centerville local which declared Jonas
Colt guilty of slandering District Sec
retary-Treasurer Harry Baker and
\ President Archibald of that local. 1t
upheld the committee on that part of
the presidents report dealing with
thesCenterville affair. In fact, the only
value of the sessions was that they
definitely decided that John P. White
is in complete control Of the conven-
ton and may be expected to be up
held in all actions and policies which
he may inaugurate.
Real Issues Wait.
| But neither of the questions given
4 in the call for the convention as the
reasons for holding it has been ap-
preached by the delegates. The hos
pital question was reported by the
committee on that matter, but fac.
tional fights entered into the contro
versy and 1t was referred back with
out any action being taken further
than the decision that the final solu
tion of the problem will be left in the
hands of the rank and file of the min
ers of the district.
/ Although the witnesses for both the
Colt and the Archibald-Baker factions
have been constantly in attendance on
| the sessions Of the convention th3y
have not been called and no effort
has been made to get directly at the
trial itself. When it Goes come there
is little doubt expressed by the dele
gates that Colt will be exonerated
| and Baker and Archibald found guilty
| Among the delegates to the conven
ton who spent Sunday in Des Moines
most of the time was taken up witt
discussions as to how the controversy
can. best be settled without further
serious quarrels. They realize thai
every hot word that is thrown across
the convention floor opens up chasn
which will in the end hurt the organ
ization. They realize, too, that the op
orators are watching the controversy
hoping that such split will be made
that 1t can not be patched UP before
/ the important wage conference neXt
spring.
/ Negotiations Toward Settlement.
| 1t appears that White, the leader ~
the majority faction, and Ritter, the
man who is the backbone of the oppo
/ sition. realize that harm Is being done
4 and are therefore willing to patch w
I their differences and come to a settle
ment. For such an arrangement Baker
is said to be the only man who ser
iously stands in the road. He is bit
terly opposed to any move which
] White makes and the fact that tbs
great majority of the delegates are
with White does not tend to reduce
his opposition Therefore his remova
is said to be about the only thin,
which will bring peace into the rank
of the Iowa miners. If he were to re
sign he would solve the situation at
stroke Whether he will realize thi
, is a question which the weeks ses
sions will disclose.
| In order that the miners may hay
time to return from their homes, tn
sessions of the convention did no
convene until 10:30 this morning. TIL
hospital matter was Immediately takel
!, I'D and will be disposed Of as euickl
as possible. The delegates have e,
pressed the desire to return to thei
J homes by Wednesday and it is prof.
, able that efforts will be made to brin
5 the convention to an end before tina
time.
The Vote Sustained White.
That the special convention Is sti
overwhelmingly behind the actions {
President John P. White of the di
trict was shown when the delegate
! sustained the report Of the committe
on that part of the presidents repol
! dealing with the Centerville affair b
! vote of 2O7 to 70. Great interest wa
taken by the delegates in the vote an
after it was over members of tn
Baker faction seemed much dishear
= ened
The committee returned a repol
: confirming the action of the executiV
: board of the district in reversing tn
! verdict of guilty found by the Cente
| vile local against Jonas Colt, charge
in the local with slandering Baker an
3 Archibald.
4 There will be no peace within tn
ranks Of the convention of the low
district Of the United Mine Workers {
: America until the Centeryille affa
Z and until the charges and counte
\ charges growing out of it have FINAL
!. been disposed of and the men guilty {
: wrong doing duly punished.
). The trouble started when Presidel
White and other members of the e,
ecutive board said that the reason WI
!, the hospital matter had not been di
! posed of by the board according to tn
l L. L. L..