The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-11-21
M | N { MEETING
DEMANDS ACTION
AGAINST BOSSES
Will Strike Mines If
Grievances Continue


up thick bottoms. Men working on
conveyors are forced to load about
so tons for So. One man is forced
to do five or six jobs, loading coal,
setting props, drilling holes, laying
tracks, carrying rails, cleaning COB,
etc. All the delegates charged that
the U. M. w. A. is responsible for
these conditions.
Gerry Allard was elected chair
man of the conference, and Dan
Singer, secretary. Vincent Kemen-
ovich, of Pennsylvania, national
board member of the NM.U., and
organizer in Southern Illinois, re-
ported in full on the decisions of
the Belleville convention. He told
of the grievances of the miners, and
the demands worked out to remedy
them. He explained the purpose of
each demand, and showed how it
applied to the daily life and work
Of every miner.
Strike Soon.
Kemenovich warned the miners
against waiting until the present
agreement expires in 1888 to take
action, because "by that time thou
sands Of you will be sent down the
road as too old, and other thou
sands of young miners will be
broken up and turned into old men,"
He urged that special attention
should be paid to key mines in each
locality, and that these mines should
be struck first, if possible, as this
will have the greatest influence
upon the miners in that section, and
will effect production.
Kemenovich dealt with the neces-
sity of ORIGINATING the locals on the
separate mines. Where mass locals.
covering several mines exist, the
miners should meet by mines, and
discuss their local problems, bring
ing them to the attention of the
mass local, which should give them
support. Mass meeting locals can
not carry on the main tasks of the
N.M.U.
The conference adopted Kemeno-
vich's report with great applause
and voted to agree on every point
of the Belleville program.
Young Miners Prominent.
Delegates Joich, Cline, Singer,
Allard, Corbishley, Felkins, Mopher-
son, Epperson, Duschene, Shelton,
Yang, Foges, Blake, Fielders, Gran
gras, Barnich, Tit, and many others
Joined in a discussion that lasted
for hours. Further reports by Cor
bishley on the district organization
and finances and by Allard on youth
were also discussed. The convention
was featured by big delegation
of young miners that are vital ele-
ments in the present movement.
Many local unions have their entire
official staff of young miners. This
is one of the greatest accomplish
ments of the National Miners Union,
the development of new forces that
are spontaneously rising and being
pressed into leadership,
Raising Funds.
Secretary Corbishley of the Il
linois district spoke on the necessity
of hard and fast financial account
ing, and the payment of per-capita,
as we'll as the general building of
the locals in the district.
The Conference heartily approved
the 50 voluntary donation for build
ing the N.M.U. not only in Illinois,
but to spread the fight in Kentucky
and help our Indiana brothers if
necessary. The miners of Illinois
know that the miners of Kentucky
and Indiana will strike together
with them against the coal opera
tors, and for the establishment of
the N.M.U. and to wipe out the
last remnants of U.M.W.A.
A number of locals already col
lected substantial parts of their per
capita donation and turned it over
to the district secretary to forward
part of its per capita contribution
to the district N.M.U. Royalton
and Sesser were next, The con-
ference appeals to all locals in
Franklin and Williamson counties
to speed collection of these funds
a. they are of utmost Importance
to further carry on the work
Fighting Takers.
The conference adopted and APP
proved also that part of Kemen-
ovich's report and the Belleville
convention decision, which denounces
the renegade president, Watt, for
his refusal to follow the policy of
the union, and the principles in
the constitution, and that he should
rot be allowed to participate in the
affairs of the union until he stands
trial before the national executive
borad of the union and the national
convention.
They also agreed with the speak
er when he warned against per-
hitting the U.M.W.A. to rehabili-
tate itself by taking the credit for
strikes won on the demands of the
N.M.U., as at Waller, where the
N. M. U. won the strike, but the
Waller local of the U.MW.A., still
hoinu allnurnd tn aYist canSnd thn