Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-07
Overwhelming Majority Ac-
cepts Wilson's Com
promise.
MUST NOW ACCEPT
COMMISSION RULING
Vote Was 1853 10 229 In Favor Of 40.
csptanes-stormy Debate Ends With
PIsas by Prssldsnt Lewis and Score.
tary orssn--Mlnsrs Told Union Was
Forced 20 Accept Agreement or Face
Disruption Of Union.

COlUnpuS, Jan. V.-4He ONltcu hiho
Workers Of America In convention
here today ratified the action Of the
international officers In accepting
President Wilson'S proposal on the
basis Of . IL per oent increase and a
commission to draw UP . new agree
ment.
The vote was taken Just before noon
after Acting President Lewis had made
pleA for ratification. The motion
was made BY President Murray. OF
Pennsylvania. that the action OF the
international officers be accepted. 40
cording to President Lewis tho accep-
tance carries with It the acceptance Of
any findings Of the commission. The
vote was 1856 to 21s.
Miners Would Have Been Crushed.
Defending the action Of himself and
Acting President John L. Lewis in
agreeing to accept PresSdent Wilson's
proposal for settlement OF the soft coal
minere' strike. william Green, inter-
national secretary Of the United Mine
Workers, declared the only alternative
was disaster and defeat for the
miners organization.
1--WE could have whipped the coal
operators, but we could not II we had
wanted to, whipped the strongest gov
ernment on earth-our government,
which had Just finished whipping Ger
many.
If we had not accepted President
Wilson's proposal Of settlement, tho
-
would have been turned loose on US
with greater ferocity than anything
we have ever seen. We knew we had
reached the limit
The delegates. with loud applause
and cheering. voiced approval Of what
he said.
with every mining community In
the country honeycombed with fed
eral agents gathering evidence against
our men. our funds tied UP. and WON.
en- and children freezing and facing
starvation. how. In the naans Of God.
could we go on with the strike" Green
continued.
Radicals Fight Award.
Green's speech followed an attempt
on the part Of some Of the delegates,
led by Robert H. Harlin, president Of
the Washington miners. to defeat the
purpose OF the motion by Philip H.
Murray OF Pennsylvania to approve
the actions OF the officers by requiring
the award which is to be made by the
presidents commission to be submit
ted to a referendum vote or a recon-
vened convention Of the United Mine
Workers.
Green and Lewis warned the dele
gates that to do otherwise than ac-
cept this proposal would not be keep
Ing faith with the presidents proposal.
and that the commission might not
make any award II the miners should
decide to reserve the right to refer
endum on the commissions findings.
Lewis ruled Harlin's amendment out
OF order.
Must Agree on Verdict.
Both Lewis and Green stated that
acceptance Of the presidents proposal
meant that the miners agreed to abide
by the decision Of the presidents oom-
mission.
TT they do not agree 70 abide BY
the decision. then there can be no ar
bitration." Lewis said.
Lewis will address the convention
tomorrow and then the convention will
vote on the motion to affirm the action
OF the officers.