The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-05-15
HOWAT INVITED
TO SPEAK TO
PEORIA MEET
Continued From Page H.

ally WOulu IlS GudlI CubSILdiu d luO-
ton to unseat them.
Harrington stated that any protest
would be entertained "in conformity
with the laws" of the union.
Thompson then repeated his ques-
ton in more direct fashion. He
brought out the fact that two years
ago he protested against the seating
of Mercer, and harrington ruled his
protest out of order on the grounds
that protest should have been made
before the delegate had been seated.
Farrington's reply simply was that
they would take care of that when
the time came.
FARRINGToN'S REPORT.
Farrington's defense Of his appoint
i've power; his praise of the Jackson
vile three-year pact and his argument
for cheapening the cost of production
were the major points In his report
to the convention.
Beginning with some ingenious Jug
Cling, he claimed that the miners were
running their own union organization
cheaply. Then he went on to tell of
the so per cent of Illinois mines now
idle with more than half of the rest
on a less than half time basis. From
this he drew the conclusion that
things would get worse, unless they
were able to cheaper production. I'm
less the miners cut coal costs, he ar
gued, the work will go elsewhere.
Lauds jacksonville Pact.
The Jacksonville agreement was
lauded as a mighty achievement, but
did not say how this three-year agree
ment, which is intended to prevent
the union miners who endorse it, from
taking action to force the unioniza-
ton Of the open shop fields which are
now depressing their conditions.
Again, in dealing with the necessity
of the convention considering unem-
ployment benefits, he gave no sugges-
tions as to ways and means.
Asking the convention to decide de-
cisively whether those unemployed
should get anything from the union
or not, he said that thousands of min
ers' families were suffering from hum
ger and want.
After this reference to the present
hardships of the miners, Harrington
went on to say that great progress
had been made, quoting the 1898 wage
scale in contrast with the present one
Pleads For AppolntlVe Power.
Defense of his appointive power
came when he attacked the foes of
that scheme as insincere. He insisted
that the methods used to instruct dele
gates against the appointive method
lacked fairness, saying that they were
more concerned in smashing the Far
rington machine than anything else.
Attempting to justify himself, he
held up the examples of the tens of
thousands of employees in city, state
and the national government who
were appointed, not elected by the
people. Then he instanced the en-
ployes Of the Standard Oil, Steel Trust
and other successful" business insti-
tutions that were not elected by the
stockholders. The Soviet government
was even cited-Farringto saying it
was said to be the most democratic
government of alias having thou
sands Of appointees.
Wants Instructions DIsregarded.
Like many another man in similar
position, he argued against delegates
coming instructed with their hands
tied" saying such instruction prevent
ed merit from prevailing" and urg-
ing the delegates to ''use their reason"
and vote their opinion, no matter how
they were instructed.
He was in favor Of democracy. Far
rington said, but thought that abolish
ing the appointive power was going
too far"
The miners union, he urged, was a
business institution and its policies
to be successful, should be along the