The farmer and mechanic., 1912-09-24
MEETING To PLAN
PACIFIC OUTCOME
MET WITH REBUFF
Mine-WorkerS' ORGANIZATION
Officials Refused to Par
ticipate In 1t
CONFERENCE is POSTPONED
Excitement Attended Gathering to
Settle Mine Labor Dispute
in West Virginia
CONFERENCE is POSTPONED
STATEMENT TO GOVERNOR
tBy the Associated Press !


Charleston W. Va, Sept. 21.-Ex-
citement attended the meeting here
todav Of representatives Of the COM
mercial and civic bodies OF West Vir-
ginia, called by Gov. Glasscock, to
consider the labor situation.
International President John P.
White, of the United Mine-workers
OF America, with Vice-President
Hayes, announced early in the day
that they would have nothing to do
with the conference because they had
learned that it was not the purpose
or those in charge Of the meeting to
permit a discussion of the strike
situation in the kanawha coal field.
where 2,200 West Virginia militia
men are maintaining martial law.
Why 1t Was Twice POStpOned
The meeting was postponed in an
effort to bring the leaders Of the min
ers and the operators together, and
| later in the day it was postponed
again, but when it finally convened
| there was nothing to indicate that an
| agreement had been reached by which
| a discussion of existing labor diff
culties might be taken up.
President Whites Statement
| President White prepared state
| ment for presentation to the COVER
| nor in which he said:
1--WE were led to believe that the
| conference called by the governor
| was for the purpose Of discussing
| the present STRIKE and to find some
method by which it might be AMIGA
bly, adjusted, but in a preliminary
| conference in the governors office
| which brought to our attention by
| the parties who appealed to the gov
ernor to call the conference, that its
/ purpose was solely for the discussion
| of an industrial dispute act to be
| submitted to the next Legislature anG
! 1t was not contemplated in any way
to enter into a discussion Of the rea
problem Of the problem Of the pres
ent hour, an honorable solution Of the
difference existing at this time be
tween miners and operators We are
much disappointed that this con.
ference does not contemplate such
discussion and in view of this fac
$ we have nothing to discuss at thi
time.
e Hayes Addresses Strikers.
e This statement did not change tn
y situation SO far White was con
g cerned and while efforts We're be
| ing made to outline coA>e of &C
ton for the conference. Vice-Pre
! dent Hayes addressed a large mum
; Der of striking miners and thei
, sympathizers ard mother Jones talk
u ed to another audience almost wit
Belated Conference Short One.
= When the governor called the con
8 ference to order late in the after
noon the house of delegates in tn
capitol building was crowded. Th
governor stated that the conferenc
would consider the question Of
e minimum wage, high cost Of livin
n | and settlement Of future labor trou
n bles by arbitration but the miner
:. strike on Paint and Cabin Creek
n would not be discussed.
q Adjourned in Confusion
/ c. Burgess Taylor of Wheeling We
e introduced as chairman and the ques
a ton of who had right to sit in til
/ meeting arose, It having been give
n | out that only West Nirginians coul
le take part. A statement presented
coal operators of the state that the
S presence in this conference is n,
= to be taken as recognition Of tr
le United Mine Workers of America
II | finally created such. confusion that
s motion TO adjourn was put ana ca
"a | rled.