The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-17
WILL NOT RE|NSTATE
PHILADELPHIA CARMEN
President Mahon Says Action
of Convention in Session
Here Is Final.

President W D. Mahon announced
yesterday at the meeting of the street
car men, convention that the action
of the executive board OF the union
was final with reference to the appeal
for the reinstatement of the 5000
Philadelphia street car men who were
expelled from the international union,
and that neither tho Utah Federation
Of Labor nor tho American Federation
of Labor had the right to review the
action of the board or the convention.
This announcement was made by
President Mahon as a result of the
declaration of William NJ. Knerr, ma
tional organizer for the American
Federation Of Labor, that the right of
C. O. Pratt and 5000 Philadelphia
street car employees to hearing
would be a subject for discussion at
the annual meeting of the Utah Fcde-
ration Of Labor next week, and that
the matter would probably go to the
American Federation of Labor.
The Pratt question was also the
subject Of a short debate between j.
T. Mcintosh of Chicago and Presi-
dent Mahon. Mcintosh insisted on
knowing why the appeals Of Pratt
and the other Philadelphians were not
considered by the convention. After
some considerable discussion Secre-
tary R. l.. Reeves took the floor and
explained the position Of the interna-
tional officers with reference to the
Pratt case, stating that Pratt had
been given an opportunity for hear.
ing before the executive board, and
that the time for an appeal had
elapsed.
4 peculiar feature of the case was
that after the meeting Mr.. Reeves
insisted TO the newspaper reporters
that the Pratt case had not been dis
cussed at all by the convention yester-
day, and that President Mahou had
not spoken with reference to 1t. Al
though Mr.. Reeves had repeatedly de-
clared that newspaper men might at
| tend the sessions of the convention,
a reporter who went to the meeting
| Yesterday forenoon was elected and
| his notes taken from him. Reeves
and other international officers and
| delegates Yesterday admitted that this
convention was the first international
| convention of the association where
| tho meetings were secret and where
| the representatives of the press were
excluded. It is understood that the
reason for making the meetings secret
| this year was because Of the TACT that
the Pratt matter would come up for
discussion, and for some reason not
made plain the international officers
have been strongly opposed to pub
licity in connection with this case.
The election of officers and the
choice OF a convention city for 1915
will occupy the attention of the con-
vcntion most of the time today: A
now move in the Pratt case Is held to
bo likely before the final adjournment
of the convention tonight. Pratt has
accused the executive board Of the
international union of falsifying re-
port, and hns called special attention
to an item Of $4,000, reported to have
been expended for legal services, al
though other legal services are
itemized with the amounts paid to
each attorney, II was rumored last
night that the members Of the gen.
eral executive board would be asked
to explain this item today. Further
action in the federal courts as re-
suit of the refusal Of the convention
to give the Philadelphia street car
men hearing on their appeal may
be sought.
Little contest over the election Of
officers was expected last night. The
reelection of President w, D, Mabon
by unanimous vote Of the conyeD-
tiou was regarded as certain. The
number of vice presidents was in
creased yesterday by the convention
from seven to ten. and II is believed
tho contests for these Offices will be
chiefly on the three new places. The
Lake AZ one of the international vice
presidents was considered TO be al
most certain. Rein Orr will probably
be reelected by acclaInation. The
nine members of the general executive
board are all candidates for rc'elec-