The Washington herald., 1922-03-25
Internal Dissension Ends
As Harrington Agrees
To Strike April 1.
RAILMEN INDICATE
DESIRE TO HELP
Engineers Will Discuss
Possible Alliance With
Coal Unions.


eliminated threatened internal dis
sensions within the ranks, the
United Mine Workers will present
a solid front in the coal tie-up.
scheduled for midnight, March 81.
This was assured tonight. follow
ing the first session of the miners
policy committee Of 11s members
here.
At the outset of the conferences.
which was called to outline plans
for the conduct OF the strike. In
ternational officers won an import
Of the powerful Illinois delegation,
ant point when Frank harrington,
representing 10000 miners, an
nounced his group would Join 100
per cent in the walkout.
II had been feared harrington
would bolt II the committee did not
approve his demands for negotiat-
ing separate wage agreements with
Illinois operators.
Promises to Strike.
Intenseness OF the meeting was
relieved when Harrington said. I'VE
are going to strike on April 1. We
did not break from the main body"
That the miners will have full
financial support OF at least one of
the Big Four" railroad brother
hoods, the locomotive engineers.
was predicted as a result of state
ments by Warren S. Stone, engf-
neers' chief. that his organization
will meet with mine representatives
TO discuss a possible alliance ef-
fective during the-walkout period
W. G. Lee, OF the railroad train
men said he will attend the joint
session. IL invited by Lewis. This
conference is expected to be called
Immediately following adjournment
Of the policy committee.
Outline. Four Demands.
Assured aid. financially and NOR
ally. from rzif unions. and the
American Federation of Labor. pol
icy committeeman today reiterated
the strike would be a 'ight to a
inish,' unless operators agree to
their demands:
These demands. outlined by Will
lam E Green, secretary treasurer
OF lne lnIeTndllOndl CulOHs 10 Inc
policy "war council" included:
I. Settlement Of differences in To-
cal mine districts through direct
neEotiators with district leaders.
2. Continuation OF the present
basic mine wages.
3. Six-hour day, hve day week.
time and a half for overtime, and
double time on Sundays and holi-
days.
{. A new two-year contract, start
ing April 1, 1922.
Harrington is Attacked.
These materially are the same
demands which operators almost
unanimously refused to accept in
turning down miners overtures for
renewal Of central four-State wage
negotiations, Green told the COM
mittee.
harrington was bitterly assailed
by Philip Murray, vice president of
the union. when, in reply to Far
rington's insistence upo7 direct ne
Gotiations with Illinois operators,
he said:
Negotiations with the operators
previous to April l would demoral-
ize the miners cause"
the Illinois miners agreement with
their operators they were compelled
to meet and negotiate with opera
tors before April /.
But" he added, that only means
negotiate-not sign a contract. A
contract is not going to be signed"
Untrue. Says Illinois Man.
This explanation apparently did
not satisfy Murray. who then
charged on the floor of the commit
tee that Farrington's Illinois or
ganization had given s36.o00 to the
Oklahoma City Leader to carry on
propaganda against the interna-
tional union leadership.
Harrington declared this was an
untruth and challenged Murray TO
prove IL.
The fact Of the matter is that our
organization loaned s36.00O to the
Oklahoma paper and that we have a
perfectly good security. and second
mortgage bonds on the newspaper
plant tucked away in our Office
safe" harrington said.
President Lewis Intervenes.
As the word-battle increased, with
retorts flying thick and fast. Presi-
dent Lewis interyened to prevent
serious trouble.
After the meeting IT was stated
nothing definite in the way OF FORM
,ulating strike plans had been ac-
complished. and that the real work
of the conference was held-over for
tomorrow's session.
Most of the plans likely will deal
with methods of financing the walk
out and increasing the miners
100000 emergency war chest"