The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-01-18
the average paid-up membership from
the years 1890 to 1877 1 4IfleIusiye. 1ls.s,

| iS8i bss -..,.... ........... .260, 740
1861. .,r.... 252, 01S
1903, .,r..... .......... .265 ,274
1910 ........ ...............2 1881, 1892
lSll Observation-Disclosures. .256, 256
| sUfnHC Internal Trouble. ...
Dual organizations caused much
trouble at the time of the opening of
the present administration, in April
1911. Mr.. White with rare Judgment
was successful in reconciling the fac
lions and in bringing the locals into
a full sense of the rights of the stu
alton. Nothing of the kind now dis.
turbs the workings of the organiza-
ton and perfect harmony exists. Mr..
White made the fullest exposition of
the troubles in District No. ) where
an attempt was made to disrupt the
Mine Workers organization and the
full wording of the findings of the
national executive board in vindica-
ton of the officers of District No. 3
was given to the convention. The
settlement of the dual organizations
in District No. 10, Washington, was
also fully detailed for the information
of the convention.
Records Are Missing.
Touching upon the embarrassment
to which his administration was sub
jected upon taking up the reins of
government of the national organiza-
ton, President White made disclos-
ures to the convention of a more or
less startling character. All records
of the presidents Office under the
Lewis administration, and also those
of John Mitchell, while he was at the
head of the organization, are missing
and cannot be located On this sub
ject Mr.. White said:
Upon taking charge of the office
Of president, | expected to find a
complete file of all the important
documents and official correspond
ence of preceding administrations. To
my surprise and establishment the
official correspondence, typewriter
records of the meetings of the Inter
national Executive Board, etc, were
not in the office. do not think it
should require any argument to con-
vince the delegates to this conven-
ton that in harmony with the obliga-
ton your officers take, they are honor
bound to surrender to their success
ors all books and other property in
their possession at the close of their
official term. These records belong
TO the rank and file; they pay for
the accumulation Of these data and
no one should remove them to the
embarrassment of his successors and
the detriment of the membership.
In order that this condition of affairs
may be overcome and the organiza-
ton better protected, would rec
ommend that the laws be so changed
as to make it mandatory upon the
heads of the different departments to
leave all official correspondence and
records affecting the organization,
and be required under penalty of ex-
pulsion from membership III the un-
ion to surrender them to their sue
cesSors. While | have been able to
without these documents, there have
been times when | would have appre-
ciated it had | been in possession of
the records of previous administra-
tions and the official correspondence
in many important cases that had
been exchanged between the presi-
dent and the subordinate branches"
Elections.
President White asks the conven.
ton to so legislate that the purity of
the mine workers ballot and the will
of the majority be established be-
yOnd possibility of doubt That cor
rupt practices have been resorted to
has been disclosed by a special in
vestigation committee which makes
report to the convention. Concerning
the dis closures of the special commits
sion Mr.. White said;
THE situation of the International
organization was directed to the COM
plant of number of local unions in
Illinois that their vote was not in
cluded in the International Tellers'
report of the 1910 election. | could
give. no satisfactory explanation of
why the vote of the forty-nine local
unions was not recorded The Off
cars and local unions of District II
insisted on a rigid investigation, and
the matter was presented to the In.
ternational Executive Board. The Of
ficers of District IL appeared and
presented their case and the Board
instructed the President to appoint
committee of three to make an in
yestigation and report. The investi-
cation of the committee revealed that
the forty-nine local unions referred to
cast 1851 votes for president, Of
which John P. White received 1851
and T. L. Lewis 500, or a majority for
White Of 9,7ee. Indications are that
the vote Of other large local unions in
various sections of the country was
interfered. with and money used to
influence the election. This is indeed
deplorable state of affairs, and those
who will resort to such corrupt prac.
tees and whose connection Herewith
can be proven without any question
of doubt should be expelled from the
organization, The vote Of every local
,,n;n,, ,,,ust ~ ananrntal So, a,,l "a