New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-15
little HARMONY IN
MINERS CONVENTION
Almost Every Motion Presented
Is Combated with Consid-
cradle Warmth.
MAY TURN TO STRIKE BOARD
Leaders Still Hopeful Working
Agreement Will Be Ratified
Foreigners in Majority at
Wilkes Barre Conference.

wilkes Barre. Penn. May 14.-After hold
ing two sessions to-day the anthracite min
ave in convention TO act on the tentative
,orking arrangement which was agreed to
-. their subcommittee and the coal opera
,o-s adjourned until tomorrow without
taking up the proposition for which they
we're called together
The day vas taken up with organization
and arranging the preliminaries for the de-
hate that will take place on the agreement.
That il will be a warm discussion was indi-
Gated by the course Of the proceedings to-
dsv. Almost every motion was combated
BY one element or another. and considerable
feeling was shown by some Of the dele
gates.
The main question before the convention
is whether the delegates will ratify the
agreement or reject ii and ask for more
concessions. The leaders express the hope
and the expectation that the agreement
will he approved. Any prediction, they say,
would be a mere matter OF opinion. There
has been no canvass OF the delegates and
m effort made by any OF the leaders 10
ascertain the sentiment Of the men, who
represent every local in the anthracite coal
fields.
II developed In the convention that the
foreign speaking mine workers are in the
majority. Their attitude toward a ratttica-
ton OF the agreement is an unknown guam
tity. ard il will be these men who will de-
eide whether peace shall come soon or
whether the suspension shall be protracted.
The leaders who expect the new working
arrangement 10 be adopted point 10 the fact
that most Of the delegates elected TO the
convention are uninstructed. and thcy feel
that these men can be won over 70 the side
supporting the agreement. The leaders who
signed Il in New York with one exception
are expected to hght for the agreement
v'aca It Ccr3es Up for debate.
Afte. dect'ng John 2. White. interna-
tional president of the miners union. presi-
dent Of the meeting and disposing Of other
routine business the convention adjourned
until this afternoon.
Mr. White in MS opening speech gave no
indication Of what stand he would take in
the matter Of ratfyinx the agreement.
The afternoon session opened with the
reading Of the report Of the credentials
committee. which showed the presence 0f
407 delegates.
The report Of the conference committee
which ue, with the cca. operators wa
then read. The report merely stated that
the subcommittee had arranged a tenta-
tive agreement with the operators, that It
Rad been laid before the full scale commit
tee and that the scale committee had Do
cided 10 refer IL 10 convention of the
miners.
No action was taken on the report Alter
i, was read a resolution was presented by
4 Wilkes Barre local union which proposed
hat the agreement be not approved; that
he miners accept the proposition made by
George +. Raer president OF the Reading
company. that the demands Of the miners
,o referred 10 the anthracite coal strike
commission Of 1902. and that the miners re
turn 10 work on a day to he designated hy
The convention. This resolution will be re-
fsr-ed 70 the committee on resolutions.
Springfield. III May H-Bituminous MN
ers IN the Illinois fields voted by ma
jority OF almost 1900 votes 10 accept the
wage agreement arranged It the Peoria
conference. An increase OF 5.j5 per cent In
tho DAYS wages and tonnage rates is
granted the miners in the agreement. which
IA for two years.