Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-08-21

l
significant of international labor con
crosses has just concluded its work
The International Congress of Nine
! Workers opeed on July p in the great
hall of the Hotel Weber in Fischern
One hundred and forty-eight delegates
representing a tota lof 1874, 900 organ
lied miners, were present. Six hun
dred and three thousand English min
ers were represented by % delegates,
10000 Germans and Prussian Poles
by %. 10000 French by Is, 1462O0
Austrfans by %, 10000 Belgians by Z,
500, 900 Americans by and 1000 Dutch
by l delegate.
The Municipal Congress refused to
the congress permission to meet in the
Assembly Hall of Carlsbad, although
the mayor of the city expressed the
opinion that it was shame that an
international congress should be
! obliged to seek quarters outside the
city. This action of the Council was
merely an expression of class antagon-
ism.
Speeches of welcome occupied the
initial session of the congress.
f. Smillie. who had the chair, en-
phasized the fact that the Carlsbad
congress was the largest international
miners congress ever held. He then
stated than in England the wages of
the miners had been forced upward
about 371a per cent in from six to
eight months. When the strike OF last
year was over the organization had
gained 100000 men.
Sachse, of Germany, deplored condi-
lions in that country, where there is
no unitary oraniZation. the Christian
(Catholic) unions being always hostile
to the free unions and willig tools in
the breaking of strikes.
i John Moore of Ohio, pictured con-
ditions in the United States. He stated
that German and Austrian immigrants
| into that country should be advised in
advance to ally themselves with the
organizations. He reported that the
Federation of Labor had 100000 mem
bers, but. that organization was not
progressing as it should because no
agreement could be come to as to, cen
tralization.
The second session, July %, dis
cussed two questions, namely, working
\ hours and protection to mine workers.
Relative to working hours, the two
4 following resolutions were combined
/ into one and unanimously adopted:
a. We demand that steps be taken
to hasten the establishment OF an
! eight hour day inclusive of time taken
in descending and ascending, for al
underground workers. that rest per
iod Of sixteen hours between shifts be
made obligatory land that the highest
number of shifts to be performed in
one week shall not exceed six
"2. The Congress is of the opinion
that for workers engaged in the min
ing industry the hours of labor should
be fixed at a maximum of eight, inclus
i've of the time consumed in entering
and leaving the mine. In hot or damp
places the maximum hours Of labor
should be six, including the time con
y sumed in entering and leaving the
: mine" 2Gs
The debate on protection for miners
extended over into July %, when the
:, following resolution was Unanimously
:. adopted:
: SIN view of the wholesale accidents
:, occurring in recent years and also II
. view of the constantly increasing mum
- Der of idiYidual accidents in mining
this congress urgently renews the de
= mand for better protection of the life
= and health of the mine workers II
:, order to secure this improved protec
- ton the congress considers urgently
=, necessary the appointment of mine
= supervisors from their membership
- who shall be elected by secret ane
- direct vote and who shall be paid By
= the State"
q During the debate, Duncan MacDon
= aid, delegate from the United States
: spoke as follows:
g "Our protective laws are quite goot
= in parts, but they are only enforced
!, where the organization is strong. II
Kansas the workers may elect inspec
: tors but where they elect Socialists
. the government does not confirm the
= election, but simply appoints some
= other man. Since the legislation O
- Tone State is played against the legisla
= ton of another, we demand fedora
= Legislation. Many very ignorant PEG
= pie are named as inspectors. The in
= spectors are obliged to give bond thai
3 they will enforce the laws, but since
), most of them are poor the mine own
:, ers often furnish the bond. Since
many unskilled workers go to the
: mines we have in some states made
it law that an unskilled man mus
first serve two years under skilled
miner. The great number OF foreign
ers now coming to us in the very
thing that shows US the immense value
of the workers International, which
informs the uroEpean workers what
awaits them in America"
The following resolution was intro
duced relative to evictions from com
pany houses:
'In every country the parliamen tary
representative of the workers must
exert pressure upon their government
SO as to scue the enactment of law
prohibiting, the employers from driv-
ing the workers from their houses dur
ing economic conflicts"
Among others who spoke in favor Of
the resolution was Meyer, of America
Hailed as a martyr, he was given a
long and stormy ovation.
The resolution was unanimously
adopted.
The Congress- then proceeded to