Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-21

delegates He surveyed the negotia.
tons that ended in the Cleveland
agreemnt in connection with the inter
state joint movement and said this
agreement gave the organization great
impetus.
"Our union is solvent" said Mr.
White. cit has clothed, fed and housed
the strikers and their families; pro-
tected men against oppression; secur-
ed the highest mining rate in its his
tory without the aid of a serious
strike; the interstate joint movement
has been rehabilitated and more than
$4,000 new members have been added,
all of which should be gratifying to
every true friend of the trades union
movement"
Biennial conventions were recon-
mended as not only practical economy,
but sound business policy. Our or
ganization has grown to such vast pro-
portions" said Mr.. White, that it is
no longer possible to meet the needs
of the membership when holding con-
ventions annually, as it leaves little
or no time between meetings to in
augurate policies and perfect plans
for extension of our movement.
Il not only advocate biennial con-
ventions," Mr.. White continued, but,
in harmony with my report to the last
annual convention, we should serious
ly consider changing the basis of rep
in our international con-
ventions and adopt a different method
one that will give the rank and file
the right to choose the delegates and
at the same time reduce the number
Of men who will represent them. The
cost of our conventions is enormous
and the drain on local delegates is an
item worthy of thoughtful considera-
ton"
The report takes up the interstate
Joint movement affecting western
Ohio. Indiana (block
and bituminous districts) and Illinois.
4 conference OF two miners and two
operators from each district, including
he International officials of the Unit |
I'd Mine Workers, met at Indianapo- /!
is, Jan. %, 1912, pursuant to the call |
If President White. The miners pre- |
,ented their demands to be embodied |
n a contract TO run two years from |
April 1 1912, including, among other |
hings, these items: That all coal be
before being screened and I
hould be paid for on mine run basis;
N increase OF 10 cents per ton fiat at
lasing points: all dead work to be paid
or; uniform work day and wage scale
or all classes of outside and inside
ay labor; that a uniform day of sew
n hours at working place for all
lasses of inside labor be made on a
asis of above scale; that five hours
onstitute a days work on Saturdays;
hat there be no discrimination by
GAL companies in employment of min
rs on account of creed. color or ma
ionality, or because of activity in
latters affecting the organization.
Four days later, at a second confer
nee. the operators presented coun-
or proposal in which they said that
ecause of unfavorable trade condi-
ons they wished to return to the !
Gale of 1904-06. The operators said
lev had sustained under the scale in {
,rce at the fime of the conference I
considerable losses because OF the I
ide difference in prices paid in this c
1mpetitive field and the non-union ]
elds with which the product of our {
ines enters into direct competition"
he miners, the operators said, should 9
ear part of this burden. IL
Operators and miners being so
idely apart, Mr.. White said, the con- '
renee adjourned and the national e
invention, which had remained in v
,ssion pending result of the joint cont