The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-10-28

Des Moines, Oct. 27.-Another chap
tel in the long string of charges and
counter charges which have for the
Fast year been hurled back and forth
by the members and officials OF the
Iowa district of the United Mine
Workers of America was written yes
teTday afternoon by District President
White II making his report before the
special convention which convened at
the Odd Follows hall yesterday morn
ing. The report reviewed the whole
controversy from it's conception last
spring in the Centerville local union
when Jonas Colt of that local charged
Harry Baker, the secretary-treasurer
OF the district with making serious
charges against John p White and
charged James Archibald, the presi-
dent of the local, with assisting Baker
By allowing him to hold the floor dur
ing almost the entire meeting of the
local union. -a
Mr.. White laid the blame for most
OF the trouble which has arisen in the
district to the dual authority which
has been exercised since he last took
up the work of president in the spring
OF the present year.
He charged that since last spring
there have been representatives of the
national organization at work within
the district without the consent and
often without the knowledge Of the
district officials. He let it be plainly
known that he considered this an at
tempt of his enemies among the ma
tional officials to discredit him and
to wrest control of the Iowa situa-
ton out of his hands. Several times
he referred to an international organ
izer who had been at work. No names
were mentioned, but it was well known
to the delegates TO the convention
that Jacob Ritter, an appointee of Ma
tional President T. l.. Lewis, as organ
izer and last year an unsuccessful
opponent OF Whites for the presiden-
cy of the district, is the man. Ritter
IL known to be great friend of Dis
trict Secretary and Treasurer Harry
Baker, and is said to be opposed to
every move which White makes.
White Not on Trial.
President White called particular at.
tention to the fact that it is Baker
and Archibald who are on trial in this
meeting and not himself. He said that
in the heat of the controversy many
lad come to think that the charges
were lodged against him, but he de
olared this was grievous mistake.
The charges made by Colt against
Baker assert that Baker declared to
the Centerville meeting that John P.
White was heading a conspiracy from
the national convention at lndianapo
lis on down through the local unions
for complete control and was using
such men as Gott to accomplish his
purpose.
These charges were once investigat-
co by commission composed OF John
II. Walker, of Illinois, and William
X amer, of Bolton, la, for Colt and
w. w. White and A. ID. Shelton fol-
Baker and Archibald. The four were
supposed TO choose fifth member
to complete their number. But this
commission failed to select another
member and instead returned report
declaring that all charges were false
and that the best thing to do was to
d.op the matter. This report has
proved unsatisfactory because 1t clear
&c no one and was not legal under
the motion which created it.
Instead OF waiting for the action OF
the governing board of the district
the Centeryille local has gone ahead
with trials against several members
including Gott, and some of these
charges are still pending.
At one time in the debate at Cen
terville, said Mr., White in his report
yesterday, 1t was thought necessary
n make two locals out Of the one now
existing at Centerville in order tc
smooth over the troubles. but this
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