The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-26
MAY FILE CONTEST
INTERNAL STRIFE AMONG UNITED
 MINE WORKERS
Supporters of John wsiker whe is President Lewis Rival fer Of-
 Acc, Are Tskass ss Active

Indianapolis Ind, Jan. 25.--The convention Of the United Mine Wor- kers of America. In session in this city Is in the attitude of waiting. though strife rather than for a contest with employers.
 Only one wage scale of large infiu- ence is to be negotiated: That of the miners of che three anthracite dis triots of Pennsylvania which probably will be taken up between the opera tors and . committee representing the miners.
 The factor upon which the miners organization is intent. is the dispute within its own ranks between the present national administration and its opponents headed by John Walker. of Illinois. who ts Mir. Lewis rival for the presidency. The ballots cast last December are now being counted on voting machines and the result may De announced either tomorrow or Wednesday,.
 The faetionai controversy Is q bit- ter one and for weeks, charges of im- proper influence in the election has been eliminated from supporters of both parties. It is generally rumored among the delegates to the convention, who number 1.3eo. that if the result of the count of ballots does not give " Mir. Walkers friends will contest the the election and will attempt to have a sufficient number of votes thrown out to put the final decision in the contest for oface before the conven. ton itself.
 The anthracite miners of Pennsyl- vania are not well organized and 1t is charged that in many local unionsl the elections were held in q more or less irregular fashion, in some instan- ces to the advantage of the Lewis faction and others td the advantage of the Walker party.
 indefinite allegations of corruption are rife among the delegates and use uaiiy appear 10 be inspired by person. al animosity. This feeling Will rise quickly to the surface when the re- port of the committee on officers re- ports is received by the convention.
 Mir. Lewis and his aids have been severely criticized for their action In ,auspending the officers of District No. Ii, Indiana. for dfsobeying mandate to return to. work pending the settie- nent of q strike: for alleged indtner- ence in the Mercer Butler strike In Pennsylyania. and for their course in the great Alabama strike of last yeav. On the other hand. Mr. Lewis insists that the convention shall put ttsef on record az establishing the supreme power of the national executive board and as determined to maintain abso- Iute intergrity in contracts made by the different districts or the union with the mine owners. The Lewis administration may be said to be con- seryative in labor union politics.
 A minor manifestation of the inter" nal war developed to-day, when after the Credentials Committee had recom- mended the seating of two delegates from a Pennsylvania, union each or whom claimed to be the legally credit cd representative the convention cnos" ane and rejected the other by a vote in which the anti-Lewis faction was clearly and victoriously active.
 Mfr. Lewis friends assert that his majority will ba between 10000 and iE.00o and they assert that not only are they ready 10 defend the adminiss trations course, but also have plenty of ammunition far return fire upon the ageressors.