Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-18
MINERS STAND ASIDE
Refuse to Commit Themselves
to Socialist Idea.
VOTE is Overwhelming
Convention Declines to Go on Rec
ord for Any Political Party.
Gompers Characterized as "Reac-
tionary" by Former Presi-
dent Lewis.

| INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. January 49,
BY vote of 80 to 155 the convention
of the United Mine Workers of America
refused today to adopt resolution COM
uniting the organization TO the social
list party, and approved the substitute
measure of the resolutions committee de-
claring 'it would be we'll if workers
would unite on the political as well as
| the industrial field"
The resolutions committee had reported
that it would be unconstitutional for the
United Mine Workers to indorse any
political party.
| Socialists in the convention, after hav-
| ing succeeded yesterday in putting it on
| record favoring government ownership
of all industries had determined over
night 1t would be prejudical to the cause
to press today the resolution indorsing
the socialist party as the political party
of the laboring class"
1--WE decided said John III. Walker,
president of the Illinois miners and
socialist leader that it would be inn
polite at this time for the convention
to attempt to bind the 100000 miners in
the United Mine Workers to the socialist
party. Republican and democratic dele
gates expressed resentment against our
campaign, and we have no purpose to an
tagOniZe them.
Say Polls Will Show.
I'VE have succeeded in showing by
the demonstrations approving the
socialist orators that the movement
has gained enormously in the ranks OF
the United Mine Workers in the last
year. This will show at the polls at
coming elections"
A bill providing for old age pensions
for men and women past sixty years,
introduced in Congress by the socialist
representative from Wisconsin. Victor
L. Berger, was Endorsed, and an invita-
ton to Mr.. Berger to come to Indian
apolis to address the convention was
extended.
Five hundred dollars was appropriated
for the relief of the families of five miners
killed in an explosion at Central City.
KY. An equal amount was donated to
the fund of the striking Buttonmakers
Union of Muscatine, Iowa.
Gompers Resolution Defeated.
\ resolution providing for secession
from the American Federation of Labor
and charging that Samuel Gompers, John
Mitchell and other labor leaders We're in
the grasp of the capitalist class through
the influence of the National Civic Fed
Grafton was defeated.
The convention adopted instead
resolution instructing the miners dele
gates to the next meeting of the Fed
! Grafton of Labor to urge of unions in
strikes of workers by industries instead
of by separate crafts and general CO.
operation
. AT last nights session Samuel Com
pers was characterized reaction
airy" by Thomas =. Lewis. former ma
tional president of the miners. AS
long as Gompers is at the head of che
federation it will oppose the general
industrial organization as contrasted
with the separate crafts union idea,"
he said
but the time will come when lead
crs in the federation will be com
pelled to step down or come over to
the principle of closed formation
working for the benefit of the whole
laboring class"