vote of the rank and file, was before the assembly.
Howat and his friends wanted the Convention to set a strike date immediately—April first. The conservatives, led by president Lewis, wanted the body of miners themselves to vote on the issue.
Everyone was howling and bellowing and jumping on his feet and yelling to speak. They sounded like a lot of lunatics instead of sane men with the destiny of thousands of workers in their hands.
Although I sympathized with Howat, I felt that the National President should be obeyed. I rose and pushed my way to the platform. I stood there waiting for the men to become quiet. They did so. It was very still. I said:
"Boys stop howling like a lot of fiends and get down like men and do business: You are wasting time here; wasting time that ought to go to your families and babies. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves! Quit this noise!"
Some one called "Speech!"
"This is not the time for me to speak," I said. "It is time for you to act. Trust your president. If he fails we can go out and I will be with you and raise Hell all over the nation!"
After that the Convention got down to business and voted to leave the matter of striking to those who had to do the sacrificing: the rank and file.
