Bisbee daily review., 1914-01-22
MINE WORKERS IN NATIONAL CONCLAVE
Convention Will Discuss Inn portant Matters of Their Or. ganization

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. 21.- Tomlinson hall was filled to overflow ing when President John F. White al convention of the United Mine Workers of America. The convention is the twenty-fourth held by the in. ternational organization and the first that has been held since the plan for biennial convention was adopted.
 The roll call by Secretary William reen showed that the convention is the largest in point of attendance in the history of the organization. The gathering also is one Of the most representative that the miners have ever held. More than i70O delegates were in their seats when the proceed ings were opened Among them they represented the miners Of nearly the whole of the United States and Can ada. Delegates were present repre- senting the anthracite mines of Penn sylvania and the miners engaged in the bituminous fields in that State and in West Virginia, Tn the great central field composed of Ohio. In diana, Illinois and Kentucky. in Kan sas, Texas. Oklahoma. New Mexico and the South West. and as far north. west as British Columbia.
 The convention will continue in ses. sicn for two and perhaps three weeks. The sessions will td occupied largely with routine business. Nearly all of the old factional differences that ex- isted in the organization some years ago have disappeared and all mdica- tions point to a harmonious gather ing. The Socialist element may seek to enliven the proceedings by the in- troduction Of some radical resolutions but the conservatives have such a sub stantial majority among the dele gates that anything not to their lik- ing can be promptly voted down.
 The wage scale to replace the pres ent contract with the coal mine op' orators. which expires April next is the principal business before the convention. The delegates will dis' cuss and decide upon their demands and these will be presented later ai the icint conference with the opera tors. Talks with the delegates indi cate a general feeling that an agree ment will be reached this year with comparatively little difficulty. From this 1t is gathered that the general sentiment among the miners is ir favor of moderate demands There has been some talk that the butumin ous miners in Pennsylvania would hold out for a substantial wage in crease and some radical changes ID working conditions. but the delegates from that section declare that noth ing fl the kind has yet been decided ly the miners.
 Next to the wage scale the most i'm portant matter to come before tho convention win be a general revision of the constitution of the United Mine Workers
 Another subject that will receive much attention Is that cf more saiet, in mines. During the past year ther' has been a heavy logs Of fife in min' accidents throughout the country. On'
 Pennsylvania lmine disaster cost hundred lives. Another happened ii Colorado. in which 90 miners los
 their lives and similar disasters oc cured in Alabama and New Mexico
 Dr. J. A. Holmes, chief of the United
 States Bureau of Mines. has been in
 yited to address the convention ol
 the subject of the work that is be i'm done by the Federal government il the way of better safeguarding th
 health and lives of those employee
 underground. Secretary of Labor Wi son. once a worker in the mines am , later international secretary-treasure , of the United Mine Workers, is eN pected to speak before the convention if hss ojcial duties and otfier CT [ agreements permit Senator Jonn W
 Kern. who was the author of the ser
 ate resolution under which the senat committee made an extensive inve' , tlgatlon of conditions in the Wes
 Virginia coal fields, also has been 1T vited to address the convention.