New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-17
CANADA'S COAL STRIKE
Il LABOR UNION CONTEST.
Efforts of americans for Interna-
tiOnal Organization.


Canadian development. The details in the tying up
OF OF Canada's great Industries: OF CONFLICT
between the Nova Scotia organization OF lAooi
unions and external rival organization; the fact
OF four thousand men, more or less. being out OF
employment and the instances OF lawless violence
on the part of strikers. with deliberate and sus-
tained protection OF she cOmpenys works ana Oh
private property by federal troops, are merely
elements leading up 10 the pivotal point In wloe-
spread problem. Shall American labor orgsniza-
lions with their preponderating power and Wealth
and influence control the workings Of Canadian
industries? is the point at issue. II is apart alto
gether from the question OF labor unionism ttseif
from matters OF wage and ordinary work
The workmen OF Canada number at least half a
million OF these the chief labor Organization
the Dominion Trades and Labor Counc-has a
membership OF about thirty-ive thousand and is
closely affiliated with the American Federation OF
Labor. Two other organizations-the Canadian
Federation Of Labor composed chiefly OF French
Canadians very moderate in it's ideas and policy
and strongly opposed 10 internationahsm in any
FORM and the Provincial workmen's Association
OF Nova Scotia-have a membership OF perhaps
nfteen thousand For some years the antagonism
OF the international and national elements in these
organizations and outside Of them has been grow
ing apace. though without apparently weakening
the dominant society preventing the continued
ariliation of Canadian unions of various kinds with
their American prototypes Conspicuous instances
Of International influence in Canadian strikes have
been that OF Fay American organizer during
the Hamilton streetcar troubles of 1906. when he
AT stage in the AFFAIR received orders from
Chicago 10 demand the protection OF the local
United States Consul against the provincial author
ities instruction TO leave the country the similar
influence of outside organizers in the Winnipeg
street railway troubles Of the same year and the
terse sentence OF a British Columbia Ogovernment)
labor commission, which in its oficial report de-
clared that whether the wheels Of Canadian indus
try shall shall rust ought depend upon
the DEGREES OF secret council at Denver. United
States; the emphatic and repeated declarations OF
Mr. Gompers. Of the American Federation Of Labor
and OF Mr.. Nerville. OF the Dominion Trades and
Labor Council that from industrial standpoint
the labor interests Of the continent are one, and
should know no national boundaries: the
cessful strike OF the Western coal miners british
Columbia and Alberta) 1907 under the control
OF the United Mine Workers of America, and the
extension of this latter organization into Nova
Scotia during 1903.
CAUSE AND HISTORY OF DISPUTE
In this territorial extension OF the United Mine
Workers lies the crux OF the present situation.
For the first time American labor organization
has come into direct conflict with a Canadian one
on Canadian soil 1t not. primarily. a question
between employers and employees, the Western
difficulty Of 1907 had been: il was and IS an issue
between national and international unionism and
as such has peculiar interest. The Provincial
Workmen's Association. a local mining federation
had hitherto held the field in the Maritime Prov
inces. 10 the exclusion OF the Dominion and the
national and international labor bodies II had
refused aflliaton with any OF them and boosted
membership OF ten thousand: II had considerable
FUNDS saved up and record OF much beneficial
labor legislation Of moderate character obtained
from the provincial government Of Nova Scotia
Its history had not been devoid OF strikes but
they had been fought practical and local issues
recognition the organization had. in full from
every
Then. last year there the United Mine
Workers. striving for an entrance into Nova
Scotia, tempting the men from their provincial
labor allegiance. working 20 organize them into
international councils boasting OF its 800 900 United
states members and advocacy OF higher wages
describing its influence in various states Of the Re-
Pubic organizers came and agitation grew
apace Early in 1908 eight lodges of the Provincial
Norkmens Association voted for amalgamation
with the United Mine Workers and on MAY q
meeting OF 100 delegates from the former order as
sembled in Halifax deal with the matter Of either
eApeiihs these lodges or meeting in some way the
issue raised Although the charters had already
oeen revoked, the Grand Council decided 10 admit
ther delegates TO the conference
DIVISION IN CANADIAN LABOR.
Two schools OF thought were heard m. ,.o,..
ING mat amalgamation would strengthen the ssso-
clauon IN serious strike: other that IN. Pm
Fheial Norkmen's Association was al present
better organized than the United Min. worLers
ana mat II represented all the miners in the prov
NICE and had already obtained much useful Iegts
Iauoh az HALIFAX Finally with the grand master
3. Mcneil in the chair referendum was de-
''ueu On ana the members were left TO settle the
question by voting for maintenance Of the rro,,r
oai organization. with certain specified reforms or
union with the United States order the la,,a,
eaHy hNoiNins the dishandng OF the Nova scotan
lodges ana the formation OF new ones with a
Few returns not included the vote finally stood
z'l46 for amalgamation and 2.s aeas,.. q, !,
unions OF Cape Breton and Cumberland cou,,,as
NO'hs ior union and those OF inverness and Pfc,op
H. pioiohged light followed. and as the
re" 10 close II became apparent that the
American organization would enter the r,royirc. a.,
any case, and that a minority @, the pro,,.,a,
"otAmens Association would join IT, while the
"oulo repudiate the referendum and re-
an .iieh independence On September Il the
Sfano council voted against union by 4. 20 D o..
on November is the thirtieth animal ro.e,i =, 80
e"i'e pouy TOOK place at Halifax and q resol,,to.
was passed giving the executive poNer 20 80, -
loase declaring for union with the l-n,@a 80. -s
Workers. INV United Mine
During the present yea. the csr,
United Mine Workers proceeded steaallx s,o.. -.
49,. ,sS "ork among the Provincial
Ae"s aooses and the up 10 ths ,,o,,,
40 tu''nsi membership could be gained or
N'A"enee Won without strike. Meantime a.. -,
suon mad resulted In drawing the Nova So 70,
N'Ns-@i 1hioh ana ile workmen who RENAME. -.
80 "9 INTO closer touch with the en-
yIs,. 'le ms Was especially The case in the
D'hiihion Coal Compans mines WHERE a.
fanEement Was ia existence as In vra,a. - az
% iScof winch WAS not teIminable until H. -,
81 1909. ana where. also. The comDanX co,, s
oues ana assessments Of the Provincial Worsr0sn,.
Association from the wage schedule and paia ~
10 The proper labor authorities Hence sno,t
complication arose when the United Mlne 49,.
Formed their lodges and We're unable 10 ee, ,ecar,
ton bs the company or by the Provincial work
mems Association, while the latter organizatio,
continued 10 receive the dues paid In ths p.r,.
and IRON The wages Of men who were no longer
members OF that body
ATTITUDE OF THE COAL COMPANY