The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-11
KANSAS MINERS
DEFY LEWIS TO
DEBATE HOWAT
Convention Dumps the
Autocrat's Laws
Rv TOM TIPPETT

| FlIISbUKGh, Kan, March ~
John L. Lewis, international presi-
dent, United Mine Workers of Amer
lea, was telegraphed an invitation to
appear at the convention of the Kan
sas district of the miners organiza-
tion in session here to debate the
Kansas case with ex-president Alex
ander Howat, Of Kansas, who was
deposed from Office by Lewis in 1921.
Howat attends the convention daily
as visitor.
The appointive power was taken
away from the officers of this dis
trict and a new clause written into
the constitution providing for the
direct election Of all field workers.
This action followed lengthy de-
bate and carried by an overwhelming
majority vote.
Constitution Rewritten.
This district constitution is being
rewritten by this convention. Such
action is wiping out laws that were
enacted at a convention two years
ago At that convention there were
GO delegates after more than 20 pro-
Howat men men had been unseated.
Van A. Bitner presided AS a repre-.
sentative Of the international union.
The district membership at the time
was between 5000 and 1000. No
delegate has been unseated at the
convention now in session here and
there are las seated representing a
membership of approximately 5000.
The provisional convention did away
with the old Howat constitution and
legislated new laws. The present
convention is undoing the work Of
the former meeting.
Howat Men Eligible.
A proposition enacted two years
ago preventing men who worked dur
| ing the 1922 strike from holding local
office or from being subcommittee
man or convention delegate for
period of three years was repealed.
Another that called for six years
continuous membership in the union
to enable candidate to run for office
was killed and six months proviso
put in its stead. The significance of
this action is that all the Howat men
will now be eligible to stand for Office
in the coming election. Howat, him
self, as we'll as the other deposed
officials can run If their membership
is brought about SIX months prior
to the next election, which is in De-
j cember of this year. The vote on
these measures was practically unan'
imous.
A new sub-district was added to
the district. The election candidates
were given the right to select three
men to watch the tabnlation of the
official vote. The district executive
board was taken off the scale COM
mittee. Six men elected from con-
vention floors together with the dis
trict president and secretary will
hereafter constitute the scale and
conference committees.
Expense Accounts Probed.
The power of the district execu-
tive board to levy assessments was
limited to two one dollar assessments
per year. Further assessments must
be submitted to a referendum vote
with the assessment amount printed
on the ballot. Personal grievances
are to be taken to conventions for
final settlements instead Of ending
with the executive board as the law
formerly stood.
A convention committee of five was
elected to investigate and examine
the expense accounts of the district
officials and report to the convention.
All the above passed by the usual
overwhelming vote.
Action was deferred on a Tom
Myerscough resolution and on one
dealing with the Nova Scotia case.
Final action will be taken on them
before the convention an]ourns. In
ternational Board Member Watkins
| Uowa) was voted the right to de-
fend the international unions posi-
ltien during the discussion of these
questions. A previous vote of the
convention denied the international
men who are here the right to the
floor without a majority vote Of the
house.
CoIored Unions There.
Spectators in the convention hall
outnumber the delegates at many in
tervals during the sessions. The VS.
itors' section is segregated from that
of the delegates. The extra chairs
are filled early and a hugo crowd
files in and out all day. Among them
are the deposed officials of the dis
trict and women who participated in
the famous march. Here and there
among the crowd is colored miner
A real coal digger tinge is given
this convention when the men from
the mines stop in on their way home
with pit clothes on and dinner pals
under their arms. The visitors take
part in the applause and laughter
which is a vital part Of this unique
gathering. The rank and file Of
Kansas are having their day in court
and they are making the most of it.
AS one international representative
put II to the writer-"this is free
speech with vengeance"