Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-03-27
MINERS REAFF|RN
THEIR DEMANDS
They Vote to Continue at Work
After April |.
THEY APPEAL TO
TAFT FOR AID

Convention Adopted Resolution to
Ask the President to Appoint Com
mission to Arbitrate Differences.
Executive Boards Instructed to Ne
gotiate an Agreement Upon Such
Basis as They Believe Conditions to
Warrant.
Scranton. Pa, March 25.--A reso~
luton to ask President Taft to ap-
point a commission to arbitrate their
differences with the operators was
adopted by the miners convention and
referred to the executive boards to
put it into effect at their discretion.
A resolution was adopted to OBJ
serve April / as a holiday in com
memoration of the anniversary of the
adoption of the eight hour day in the
soft coal regions.
Reaffirming the demands already
presented to the operators, the anthra-
cite miners voted to remain at work
after April l until the district execu-
tive boards of the hard coal fields of
Pennsylvania continue their efforts to
get an agreement satisfactory to the
men The miners were instructed by
the convention to continue at work
until such time as they are otherwise
notified by the official representatives
of the three anthracite districts, and
the executive boards were instructed
to negotiate an agreement upon such
basis as the boards in their Judgment
believe the conditions warrant.
The report of the committee to de
fine the policy of the mine workers
was read by Secretary George Hart
lein. of Shamollin. and adopted. The
report is as follows:
The Committees Repnrt-
1--WE, your committee, appointed to
formulate proposition to govern the
anthracite mining districts between
now and April l and after that date,
have carefully considered every pos
sible phase of the situation.
1--WE submit to you and for your
careful consideration the following:
formulated and agreed to at the spe-
eial convention of districts one, seven
and nine, United Mine Workers OF
America, held in the city Of Scranton,
Oct. II. 1908. We hereby confer upon
the members of the executive boards
of districts one, seven and nine, OF
the United Mine Workers of America,
full authority to meet the operators OF
the anthracite coal region and to nego-
tiate with the anthracite operators an
agreement upon such basis and for
such a period of time as they, the
members of the executive board, in
their Judgment believe industrial and
other conditions surrounding the an
thracite mine workers may warrant.
1--WE hereby authorize and instruct
the United Mine Workers, and so far
as our authority goes. the mine work
ers of the anthracite coal region, to
remain now and continue at work on
and after April 1, 1909. under the
terms of the agreement of 1906, and
until such time as they are otherwise
notified by the official Representatives
of districts one seven and nine, of ne
united MiHe NOlhtIS VI ThuCtiSo.
Recited Their Grievances.
Following the discussion of the re-
port a dozen delegates told the CON
vention how they had been instructed
to vote Some had been instructed TIC
get tle best agreement with the oper-
ators they could. Others were told to
vote for one year agreement; some
for recognition of the union, and
few were pied god to vote for fight
in case the operators make no con-
cessions. while che man said he had
been instructed to vote for peace. The
| discussion drifted into recital OF
grievances by delegates. Much of this
was of a technical character. Many of
the delegates complained that wages
were reduced on new work; that rock
men did not always get paid for the
work they did. and that the prices OF
| two kinds of powder had been in
! creased 25 and As cents since the last
agreement was signed. 1t was also
stated by one delegate that miners
| were compelled to deal in company
store in st. Clair.
| District President McIlhenny said
that there are 5000 men employed by
! one company who are getting Sl.37 a
day for cutting coal and that boys are
| getting only 5 cents an hour which is
lower, he said than was paid in 1887.