Arizona republican., 1918-01-24
BASIC WAGE SCALE
 OPPOSED BY MINE
 MEN IN CONFERENCE
Republican A. p. Leased Wire]

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan 23.-Aft- CT a spirited contest, the proposition to give all districts in the coal indus try of the country representation in conferences where a basic wage agree ment is made, or policy formulated that is applicable to other districts, was defeated in the convention of the United Mine Workers of America to- day by a vote of 95S to 554. The prop osition had been before the conven- ton for three days and was opposed by district and international officers as a menace to the life of the organization. 1 The fight was resumed today after | Samuel Gompers of the American Fed eration of Labor, had made a speech in which he suggested a universal seven hour day during the war to conserve | fuel instead of the present pIan Of nav l ing idle Mondays.
 Great confusion attended the closing of debate. Many of the 1852 delegates l had clamored for recognition since Monday. When a motion to close de- bate was carried, President Frank J. Hayes recognized Frank Harrington, president of the Illinois miners, to speak in accordance with a promise made yesterday to give him the floor before the debate was closed. This | caused an uproar. For twenty minutes Harrington stood on the platform ready to begin while President Hayes pound ed for order. There were arguments among the delegates all over the hall. One big miner shaking his fist at a gallery where some of the noise was coming from characterized the dele gates there as a wild mob" not fit to represent the men back home
 When quiet was restored, Harrington told the delegates the adoption of the resolution to change the pocedure ot
 making wage contracts would be one
 of the most serious blows that could be struck at the union. The change he added, would cause trouble and pos
 sibly lead to the dissolution of the or
 ganiZation. District President John T
 Dempsey, Scranton, Pa, speaking fol
 anthracite miners said the change
 would be a menace to the interest: of the union. He said the fundamental
 opposition of the great anthracite com , panies of the east to negotiating 2
 contract with the union was their feal
 of bitumious coal domination, because l the larger part of the organization. 1 membership is in the soft coal fields
 He did not think it wise to tie dowr
 the officers of the union by writing
 the policy into the organic law of tn,
 organization.
 There were but two speeches mad, today in favor of the proposition, thu
 delegates declaring it only fair that tn
 outlying districts be heard when a rat,
 is fixed in one territory that will b,
 the basis for negotiations in other dis
 tricts, The answer to this was tha o the policy committee representing al 7 districts must approve the basic rat ' before it is applied elsewhere
 There were demands for a roll cal when the standing vote was an
 nounced. President Hayes informe, = the delegates it would cost about s25, l. 900 to do this as it would consum T more than a days time. Under tn 5 rule of the convention it takes the as y sent of 300 delegates to call the roll y but that many could not be mustere l, when the chair asked if a roll call Wa Q insisted upon.
 Q The convention then considered s resolution to make the appointment c d organizers by the president subject t d the approval of the district in whic l. the appointee holds membership i If the union. John R. Lawson of Colo e rado was making a fight for the reso O lution when the convention adjourne . until tomorrow. He charged that or
 ganizers misused their office and trie
 to defeat him for the presidency c
 the Colorado Federation of Labor