Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-27
MINERS IN AN UPR0AR
National Convention Aroused
by Action of Mr.. Lewis.
INQUIRY BY HARRINGTON
Question Regarding Organizers De.
clared Out of Order.
JOHN WALKER MAKES PROTEST
Presiding Officer Accuses Him of
Speaking Falsely Excitement
Ended Without Definite Result.

INDIANAPOLIS. January c7.-At the
| opening of today's session of the conven-
ton of the United Mine Workers of Amer
! lea Vice President harrington of the IL
| linois miners demanded to know from Ma
| tional President Lewis whether or not
the national organizers present as dele
| gates from local unions were being paid
from the national treasury.
President Lewis declared that Earring
ton was out oforder. and, pounding or
the table with the gavel, tried to shut off
| Harrington.
| The convention was aroused, and when
Harrington tried to complete his speech
some delegates began to yell sit down
and some Go ahead"
The delegates seemed to be about even
ly divided in this preliminary outburSt.
| When order was restored Lewis said
that Harrington was out of order because
| the business under which that matter
would come up had not been reached.
| He declared positively that when the
| time came the question would be fully
! explained. He again announced that he
would show that he had not departed from
| the policies of the organization in the
past in the matter of the pay of the organ
| izers that were brought to Indiana poils
on the order of the head of the organiZa-
| ton.
He also asserted with much vehemence
! that before the matter of the pay of or
| have to answer to the convention fol-
some acts connected with charges against
| Lewis.
| John Walker Protests.
John Walker, president of the Illinois
miners and a candidate for the national
presidency in OPPOSITION to Mr.. Lewis
sprang to his feet and asked If a delegate
had not right to appeal from the de
| cisioQ of the chair.
President Lewis answered yes, providing
| the delegate was in order and had beer
| recognized by the chair.
l. Francis Feehan, another one of the
| anti-Lewis faction leaders, demanded OF
Lewis what he meant by the declaration
| that he had not departed from the pre-.
vious policy of the organization in regard
| to the pay of the international organizers
| Lewis insisted that Feehan also was
out of order He declared, in answering
Feehan, that in the past when John
| Mitchell wanted to bring international
| organizers to headquarters he brought
| them, indicating that Mitchell also paid
them out of the international treasury.
| BY this time the convention was in a
| heated condition. John Walker got the
moor again and once more assailed the
policy of seating International organizers
He declared that with the exception OF
the organizers all of the delegates seated
| in the convention had been elected by the
membership of the union, while hi
| charged that the International organizer:
were appointed by Lewis.
Walker Accused of Falsehood.
| Lewis was on his feet in an instant
That is not true. Mr. Walker does moi
know what he is talking about in that
| statement he exclaimed.
| He again raped the organization into
a semblance of order.
| Harrington arose and began walking III
| the aisle toward the stage, declaring tina,
as matter of personal privilege he de-
| sired to reply to Lewis statement.
WELDING the gavel vigorously, Lewis
| took additional steps to maintain order
| He ordered the six sergeants-at-arms tt
| their stations
| Further trouble, however, was prevented
by Lewis calling for the resolutions com
| mittee.
| The convention unanimously placed it
self on record in opposition to the remova
| of Lincoln's picture from the postage
| stamps. and demanded that it be restored
| to the five-cent stamp.
| The convention adopted a resolution
| calling on Congress to create bureau o.
| mines
| 1t also declared in favor of rivers anG
harbors improvement and the creation Of
| a deep waterway between the lakes anG
J the gulf, and also vigorously declared
| that the work should be done by the
| United States without letting the worl
| out to contractors.