New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-09-08
Hard Coal Men
ToAcceptP eace,
Lewis Declares
Greatest Victory i'm Their His.
tory, Says Miners Chief,
AfterinsslrgentsK eepHim
Out of Convention Hall
Police Ready for Riots
Faction Opposed to Settle.
ment Said To Be Losing
Ground, but Delays Vote
Special Dispatch to The Tribune


WILKES-BARRE, Sept 7.--"There
can only be one result The anthracite
miners will accept this peace proposal
as one of the greatest victories of
their history" said John l.. Lewis,
head of the United Mine Workers,
after the tri-district convention, called
to ratify the agreement, adjourned
suddenly this afternoon to meet again
tomorrow morning. The voting
strength of the 600 delegates present
is officially reported to be 1882 and
the Lewis forces claim 200 ballots at
the ratification test. lnsurgent union
men here say that the Lewis claims
are far too high
The passing hours bring us more
convincing proof of the inevitable end
of this onvention-ratificatio Of the
peace proposal by an overwhelming
majority" Mr. Lewis asserted. The in
ternational president predicted that a
vote for ratification or rejection of the
Pepper-Recd peace pact would come
Saturday afternoon, although NE said
it was possible that .thes CONVENTION
would swing over until next week.
The afternoon session was adjourned
before it really got under way. Hun
dreds of idle miners, believing that in
surgents in the ranks would "start
something" occupied all available
seating and standing place in the con-
vention hall to the exclusion of large
number of the 600 delegates. Hun
dreds more Were outside trying to
force their way into the hall. John l..
Lewis and Phil Murray, international
vice president, were unable to enter
the building
Delegates Threaten TO Quit
Delegates were loud in their pro-
tests. Several threatened to pack up-
their belongings and go home. District
President Thomas Kennedy, of No, q,
who wcs on the platform, suddenly an
nounced that an afternoon session
would not be held and that the conven-
ton would reconvene at $3.50 o'clock
tomorrow morning. To prevent repe-
tition of to-day's delay all delegates
will be admitted by cards and mo one
else will be allowed admittance until
the delegates are in their places.
The morning session was taken up
with a chronological report of the
negotiations betwess operators and
miners from the time uf the first meet
ing in March to the las, one in Phila-
delphia, when the subcommittee of
each side reached a tentative agree
ment. Kennedy had not completed his
survey at the noon adjournment and
the program was for him to finish this
~ iyv ho off
was ready to deliver the keynote
speech for the Lewis administration
and to show the anthracite men just
what they had really gained in the
peace offer their leaders asked them to
accept. That program will be followed
tomorrow morning.
Police Have Riot Clubs
The tentative agreement win be sub
rnitted in the form that miners will be
asked to sign it, but debate will not
open until after Murray has spoken.
Seven policemen were sent to the
convention hall by Mayor Daniel L.
Hart to-day. He refused to say on
whose request he acted. 1t is known
that reports reached the Lewis camp
that the insurgents were prepared to
stage noisy demonstration and that
disorder might occur. The policemen
were armed with riot clubs and re-
NAMED in the corridor ready for call.
They will be on duty until the con-
vention ends.
Insurgents have not given up their
fight, but they are steadily losing
ground. Many delegates who are here,
instructed to vote against ratification,
declare that they would willingly vote
to accept the peace offer if they were
free to do SO. An effort was made
to-day to get all instructed delegates
together in one body and have them
vote as unit for ratification. A few
Idle hardsp in the ranks prevented this
plan being carried out.
Enoch Williams and Alex Campbell.
leaders of the insurgents, are busy
but Isaacs admitted to-day that they
are not getting anywhere with their
plan to have the tentative agreement
rejected,