Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-03-03
Widely Known Labor Leader
! Heads Organization Winch
Seeded From the National
Body at Pueblo, Colo.
WILL FORM LOCALS
IN U. S. AND CANADA
Plans Are Being Formulated
to Cut Into the Field of the
u, N, W, A.; Gives His
Reasons for Accepting.
.v So.srso 1ouss.a .-.e,., .....o ~..


Denver, Colo, March John n.
Lawson, widely known labor leader
whose resignation as president of the
Colorado State Federation of Labor
was announced today, formally an
nouneed tonight that he would accept
the presidency of the newly organized
independent union of Mine Workers
Of America formed at Pueblo this
week by delegates from Colorado To-
Gals of District No. 10, United Mine
Workers Of America, from which they
voted to secede. Although Utah and
New Mexico local of District Is were
not represented in the Pueblo con-
yention, it is the intention, leaders of
the new union announced, to organize
locals of the new union in these two
states and then spread the movement
through the United States and Cam
ada, forming a new International un-
ion in competition with the United
Mine Workers of America. No policy
as to wages or working conditions has
been formulated by the new union,
at meeting of the directors to be
held March 8, Mr.. lawson said to-
night.
Explains Resignation.
In explaining his resignation as
president of the State Federation of
Labor and his decision to accept the
presidency of the new union of coal
miners, Mr.. Lawson tonight issued the
following signed statement:
I'm January, 1917, the international
executive board of the United Mine
Workers of America revoked the char
ter of District No. Is to prevent Il L,
Doyle and myself from taking the Of
fices to which we had been duly elect
ed, namely. international executive
board member and district president.
THE officers of the international
organization attempted last June to
read me out of the United Mine Work.
ers of America at so-called peace
conference held in Denver, at which
was not present. because did not
agree with their policies. They pack
ed the convention Of the Colorado
State Federation of Labor at Boulder
last August in an effort to gain con-
troll of the state labor movement.
Tried to Steal Election.
They attempted Gas is shown by
the tellers' recount wherein they
threw out $500 votes) to steal the
federation election held in November.
in which I was candidate for the
by forgery, ballot box stuf-
fling and altering election returns.
This was followed with the steal
ing of the special election of District
No. Is, United Mine Workers Of
America, in which Doyle and myself
were again candidates, by James F.
Moran of Iowa and Warren Pipin OF
Kansas, assisted by international ex-
ecutive board members Van Horn.
Watkins and Zimmerman, who had
12,450 ballots printed for a member
ship of $500 and received returns OF
over $500 votes when not more than
70 per cent of the membership voted.
denying the right of candidates to be
present when these votes were tabu-
lated.
Protest Meetings Held.
Indignation meetings were held
throughout the state. A protest con-
vention met at Pueblo this week rep
resenting 1000 miners which demand
ed of Moran and the international
committee that they produce the tab
ulated returns. This they refused to
do, A message was sent to Interna-
tional President Hayes which he ig-
nored. The delegates then decided to
form a new union, known as the In
dependent Union of Mine Workers OF
America, demanding by resolution
that lead the new movement, re-
sponsibility which I willingly assume
''In order that the state labor move
ment shall not become involved In
this controversy, l have resigned as
president of the Colorado Federation
~ 7 a bOr''