New-York tribune., 1922-09-07
Lewis Swings
Convention to
Side of Peace
Anthracite Insurgents Sub
merged Under Approval
Of Leaders, Acts ai Open
ing Of Tri-D;sfrici Meeting
Expect Quick Acceptance
200 Of 43l Locals Likely
to Ratify Agreement. De-
spite Fight by Radicals

s WILKES BARRE. Pa, Sept, g.. In
one short session OF one hour and n
half, John i. Lewis, president of the
United Mine Workers of America, and
w. j. Brennan, Chris Golden and
Thomas Kennedy, district presidents,
to-day virtually wiped out the the
threatening danger of insurgency in
the ranks of the organization and were
.convincingly assured that the Pepper
Reed plan for ending the hard coal
strike will be ratified by an overwhclm-
ing vote before the end of the week.
The ri-district convention, with 700
delegates in attendance, representing
431 local unions, opened at 2 o'clock.
At 80 o'clock it adjourned to recon
veno tomorrow morning at $3.50 o'clock.
With adjournment q score or more
delegates started towards Lewis on the
platform. Others followed, a rush set
in and it became stampede with men
bowling, shouting ard praising the
international leader. Lewis was appar-
entity taken by surprise. He shook
hands right and left for almost an
hour.
Lewis Foresees Victory
after this wonderful outburst," he
said II am more convinced than ever
that the anthracite miners will adopt
the peace we have recommended".
1t was clever oratory that swept the
convention off it's feet. Mr.. Kennedy
was in the chair and he introduced
Mayor Daniel l.. Hart, who made the
address OF welcome. MIR Hart went
over the strike situation from top to
bottom and wound up with q patriotic
plea. His message was that the Presi-
dent of the United States has spoken
to the mine workers aud the operators
and therefore there would be no fur.
ther controversy and there could be no
backward step
appealed to the sympathios of the
miners. He called the Cleveland agree
nent the greatest victory labor has
won in years. He pointed out that
after Lewis had won in the btuminous
field the downward trend Of wage
stopped.
"Ihat victory" he said, turned the
pendulum back; che steel mills soon
afterward increased wages. The textile
workers invited their strikers back
without reduced wages. That miners
victory saved The day for labor in
America"
Insurgents, led by Alexander Camp
| bell, member of the scale committee; !;
George Isaacs, precedent Of Dis
trict No. /, and Rinaldo Cappillini, de-
posed national organizer, have not
given up their fight, but after adjourn
ment they admitted that the tables
were being turned against them and
that their contest looked hopeless
/ Enoch Williams, secretary treasurer OF
District No /, is openly opposing tbs
ratification Of the Pepper-Reed plan.
Insurgents Wear Latels
| Many of the insurgents came into the
lfeonvention wearing fiery red cards tied
to the lapel OF thei, coats. These cards
carried the message: "Stick to the An
ish! Out to win"
In the pittston and Nanticoke areas
Of District No. I there is strong oppo.
sition to ratification of the proposal
Delegates from District No. are not
ell in favor of ratification. Those from
( District No. are almost a unit fol
| ratification.
Lewis and the district presidents de-
clare that when the vote is counted al
! least 400 OF the z31 local unions will
cast their ballots for ratification.
I Early to-day the insurgents were
/ claiming enough votes TO wage an in
/ terest;ng fight, but tonight they are
not so confident. George Isaacs de
clared: What is the use of having
convention if they are going to talk
| us out of it 2"