The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-07-08

III, s
GERS. the international executive
board, the district presidents ana
two representatives from each OF
the outlying districts, added MT.
Scott.
..The power Of making a scale
will be left with the international
scale committee, subject to the.
approval OF the full membership
which in other&words means a re-
ferendum vote of the membership,
a policy which was adopted by the
United Mine Workers of America
at its last convent on In indiana
polls. No district can get away
from that policy" he concluded.
Not Taken Seriously.
The news dispatch is taken
with grain % Of salt in Official
circles, it being argued that a dis
strict agreement would not be ten.
.dered to- a field that is entirely
tied up by the union When me
policy was not sufficiently heAlple
to apply to the New River, kama
5wha, Farm ont and other outlying
districts where there is some
doubt as to whether they Will Inc
up union or non-un1on.
It is felt here that if there was
any district contract made, Nortn-
ern5 West Virginia would nave
been granted this concession as
quick as any, owing to the pig IN
crease in non-union tonnage
within the past two months Pres
$ident Keeney is generally given
credit for trying his level best 20
obtain a concession here, but all
the wire pulling from all angles
availed nothing because he was
tied up on a firm policy, which
was really laid down in degree
by the miners convention itself.
Kansas Situation.
To many the Kansas situation Is
not clearly understood. Briefly II
is this: Alex iHowat, deposed leader
OF the Kansas miners who number
$4,000, was engaged in strike
which President Lewis and the IN
formation al board declared was Il
legal. President Lewis, at the IN
struction of the board, directed the
return Of the men to work HoWat
is alleged to have refused to 40
this He was summoned before the
international board and e2palleo
from the United Mine Workers OF
America. Then provisional see
OF &OLIlCeTS III aWAlSA5 o. --''t-A,
and George Peck were active spir-
its took up the district and the ma
iority OF the miners affiliated with
the United Mine Workers are
claimed to have remained loyal to
the International officers, some re-
turning to the fold when Howat
was deposed. !
The mum erical strength OF the
"o11tlaws'' or those remaining with
Howat has been estimated at yari-
Gus percentages of the miners.
body, but the figures have always
been contested. The Indiana min
ers and their leader, Frank Far
rington, financed Howat and his
followers up until the strike began
April /, having spent approximate
1y $4,000. Since then, Illinois
miners have not supported the
Howat wing, principally because
they have their own men to sup
port out Of the district treasury.
The time has now arrived that the
unaffiliated miners are In need and
have returned to work. In the
strictest sense they are not mem
bers of the United Mine Workers
Of Americ having been expelled
by the organization. The union
miners of Kansas continue on a
strike like the union miners in all
organized fields. One estimate is
that there are $50 unaffiliated min
ers of Kansas. =. .g
,RFarrington's Fate.
@ Those who follow United Mine
Workers of America politics realize
that harrington is as helpless as
any other district president. He
must go along on the policy laid
down by the organization. Other
wise he will suffer the fate OF
Howat and have his head cut off in
an official sense.
It is question also whether the
miners Of Illinois would follow Far
rington to the extent of bucktng
the International organization.
Generally it is believed they would
not. ..zz5as,
re TouJnp arc 11nnc119f-