The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-09
MINE WORKERS OPEN
MEETING OF GREAT 7
LABOR IMPORTANCE
BRITISH MINERS AWAIT ACTION
OF AMERICANS AS TO STRIKE
AND SHORTER HOURS


1000 delegates from the collieries Of
the United States and Canada gathered
in the armory Of the Cleveland Grays,
| the international convention of the
United Mine Workers of America, the
twenty-fifth consecutive gathering of
that organization was called to order
at 10 o'clock this morning
| Events have conspired to make ii
probably the most important in the
history of the United Mine Workers,
since, quite apart from the possibili
| ties of trouble contained i'm its almost
certain demands for higher wages and
shorter hours, the miners of Great
Britain are looking to it for support
and cooperation in the questions of the
six-hour day and 30-hour week and of
the naturalization of coal mines.
Both articles of the British miners
program figure upon the program of
the Cleveland convention. Favorable
action. which is anticipated, is expected
to reach sympathetically upon the
struggle across the Atlantic.
The convention was called to order
by II. w. Raisse, on behalf of the
Cleveland Federation of Labor and
short speeches of welcome were de.
llvered by Mayor Davis of Cleveland,
John NJ. Owens, secretary of the Cleve.
land Federation of Labor. and Thomas
J, Donnely Of Toledo representing the
Ohio Federation.
OF great significance upon the open
ing program however in view of the
desire to secure the support of organ
lied labor everywhere for the Plumb
plan for the naturalization of the rail
ways, was the presence upon it Of War
rem 5. Stone, grand chief of the Broth
erhood Of Locomotive Engineers; Tim
othy j. Shea, acting president of the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen W. G. Lee, president
of the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men, and l.. f. Sheppard, president Of
the Order of Railway Conductors, who
at a late hour had been added to those
to extend a Cleveland welcome to the
convention.
Shea Criticizes Wilson
President Shea of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive I'iremen and Enginemen, as
expected brought in the question of
the naturalization of railroads. evok-
ing rounds of applause. lie declared
that, in some form or other, the Plumb
plan ultimately was bound to be ac
cepted. He denied charges that rail
way employees had received dispropor
tionatey high wage increases to the
disadvantage of other classes of labor
81.
mand for postponement of wage in
creases to await the issue of attempts
to reduce high costs of living, sug
gesting, as the better alternative. i'm
mediate Increases subject to later modi
fication in case Cf decided reduction in
prices of necessities of life.
The miners broke into hearty cheers
at Mr.. Shea's denunciation of the pro
posal in congress to introduce compul
sory arbitration for railway men as
an attempt to hog.te American labor
which could never succeed.
President Stone of the engineers
brotherhood suggested joint politica
action as the best means for labor tC
enforce its demands and secure i'm
proved conditions of labor. All labor
he said, was vitally Interested in the
deliberations of the convention, be
cause u coal strike if it came would
mean the suspension of all forms OF
employment as soon as stocks Of fue
were exhausted.
President Lee of the trainmen'S
brotherhood outlined, as the aim of the
railroad brotherhoods, conditions under
which labor could earn enough in eight
hours, 26 days in the month, to per
init it to live in comfort "a hours q
day during the entire month.
President Sheppard Of the order Of
Railway Conductors was unable to at
tend.
In response by Acting President
John l.. Lewis of the United Alin'
Workers of America, in the chair o
, the convention owing to the illness o
-, President Frank Hayes. inaugurateC
the deliberations of the convention
which is expected to last from two t
! three weeks.
, Todays sessions are devoted to the
opening ceremonies. the work of or
ganization and presentation of the re
| L
of Secretary-Treasurer William Green
which are expected to lay the founda
tions for the work of the delegates II
regard to wages and hours of labor
, naturalization of mines, etc. No de
cisions on these subjects are expected
, until later in this week.
Among the resolutions which viii
cause most discussion are several call
, ing for immediate ratification of thu
I. treaty of peace, together with one pro
4 posing participation in the League o
b. Nations.
3 General Strike Indicated
- Acting President John l.. Lewis, il
his report today to the convention o
the United Mine Workers of America
discussed the greatly increased cos
, of living and the probability Of an!
sweeping reduction through "belated
federal action as a preface to his rec
. ommendation for cancellation of thu
Washington wage agreement in tn
bituminous field not later than Novem
ber l, and the negotiation of a neV
wage scale, to be enforced. in case o
failure to reach q satisfactory settle
] ment by them, by general miners
strike throughout the entire juriSdio
ton of the United Mine Workers o
= America. The basis of the propose
:. agreement should be that outlined b,
= the national policy meeting held at In