Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-09-14
Miners DEMAND
CURB Of H. C. OF |:
Convention Asks Vigorous
Action by Government
Against Profiteers.
WORK UNDER OLD WAGE

By the Associated Press.
CLEVELAND, Ohio September Ia
Confessing its own inability to find
offhand a satisfactory solution of
the problem of reducing the high cost
of living. the convention of the Unit
ed Mine Workers of America today
demanded vigorous action from the
federal government as the only
agency capable of checking the OPP
erations of food gamblers and un-
scrupulous profiteers. Legislation
such as this week passed Congress.
carrying penalties which will effect
ually curb the practice of marking up
the prices of necessities on the prtn-
ciple of charging all that the tr-ffio
will bear, was held to be the only ef-
fective remedy.
Among the substitute panaceas re-
jected by the convention or it's COM
mittee on resolutions were the crea-
ton of economic commissions with
power to fix definite prices for all
commodities of daily use; congress
sional legislation reducing immedi-
ately prices of food and clothing by
rs per cent under penalty of confis-
cation of the property of all those
dissolution of the Chicago packing
companies. erection of government
cold storage warehouses for the
proper distribution of foodstuffs and
the death penalty for food profteers.
Propose National Strike.
One speaker took q leaf from the
wage suggestions of the railroad
brotherhoods and proposed that the
federal government be allotted ninety
days grace to effect q substantial re-
n q of wi
were unaccomphshed in that period
the miners should take steps to tie
| up industry by a nationwide strike.
For the miners. according to the
resolution adopted, this problem has
particular interest, since they are still
working under an agreement almost
| two years old, while almost every
other branch of labor has since gained
substantial increases in wages. The
agreement was accepted. it is said,
under assurances that the food adj
ministration would stabilize food
costs. but these were not fulfilled,
A resolution introduced by colored
miners, but supported by white speak
ers and the entire convention. de-
manded legislation making lynching
and mob violence federal offenses.
Organize Alliance Immediately.
! No time will be lost in organising
| the alliance with the four great rail-
road brotherhoods for joint political
and industrial action to bring about
| the naturalization of railways and
| mines and other economic detectives
| of mutual interest, to which the CON-
vention gave it's enthusiastic approval
| at the morning session.
| I'VE have, however. not chance in
| the world to pass the Plumb bill
through the present Congress" Glenn
| e. Plumb informed the miners in his
speech this morning. He welcomed.
however. the adhesion of the half mil
| lion miners to the seven million ad-
| vocates who he declared were al
ready enrolled in support of the Plumb
plan, and declared that il the move
ment continued to spread at the pres
! ent rate the next Congress would Be
| elected under a mandate to enact the
| desired legislation which 1t could not
venture to disregard.
Other business before the convention
| today was OF a minor nature, all res
| olutions on other matters OF i'm
portant policy, such as the formation
of labor political party. the repeal
| of the espionage act, the release Of
| Thomas J. Mooney and other 20
litical prisoners: the Russian ques-
| ton and the use of state guards and
coal and iron police being reserved
| for discussion next week. A resolu-
| ton for the withdrawal of the miners
| organization from the American Fed
Grafton of Labor. which is the first
| order of business Monday, is expect
| ed to bring about the first big clash
| between the radicals and those now
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