Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1902-11-13
BAER ANSWERS MITCHELL
President of Coal Company Files
Reply with Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission.
DEAoUNcEs DEMAND For HIGHER PAY.
Declares Also Against Reduction of
Hours of Lab or without Reduction
of Pay Says Miners Union Has
Made Business Conditions in the
Anthracite Fields IntO1erable.

Anthracite Fields Into1erable.
Washington, Nov. 1s.-The reply of
President George T. Baer, of the
Philadelphia & Reading Coal COM
pany, to the charges of President
Mitchell, of the United Mine Work
ers, which has been presented to the
anthracite coal strike commission,
was Tuesday given to the public. Mr..
Baer makes no reference to Mr..
Mitchell as the president of the min
ers' organization, but refers to him
simply as an individual. Taking up
the specifications in Mr.. MitchelPs
charges seriatim, Mr.. Baer first adj
mits that his company owns 81 col
heries and that before the strike it
employed 26,s29 people. Following
is a brief summary of the response
to Mr.. Mitchell's other specifca tions:
Demands Unjust.
Second. The demand for 20 per
cent. increase in wages on piece work
is denounced as "arbitrary, unrea-
sonable and unjust" The company
contends that after making all neces-
sary allowance for different condi-
tions the rate of wages paid for
the mining of anthracite coal is as
high as that paid in the bituminous
coal fields. ,@1~ liz
Third. The company denies that
the present wages is lower than is
paid in other occupations in the same
locality and controlled by like con;
ditions. III
Fourth and Fifth. Mr.. Baer denies
that the earnings of the anthracite
workers are less than average. earn
ings for other occupations requiring
skill and training and also the charge
that the earnings are insufficient be-
cause of the dangerous character of
work in the anthracite mines.
Sixth. This specification made by
Mr.. Mitchell is referred to as too
vague for specific answer, but in
general way it is stated that the an
thracite regions are among the most
prosperous in the United States.
Shorter Hours Not Needed.
Seventh. The company prcnounces
as unjust and inequitable the demand
for a production of 20 per cent. in hours
Of labor, without reduction of earn
ings for time employees, and this de-
-mand is pronounced impracticable. In
this connection the following state
ment is made:
because of the injury to the mines
BY the strike of the United Mine Work
ers, the cost of producing coal has
been greatly increased, and tempo
rary advance in price was made by this
company, but it will be Impractical BILE
to continue such increase when mining
operations become normal
Eighth. Mr.. Baer says that his COM
pany has no disagreement with any
of its employees about the weighing of
coal, because the quantity is usually de-
termined by measurement, and not by
weight. ..s- -.
Regarding Labor Organizations.
Ninth. Replying to the fourth de-
mand made by Mr.. Mitchell, Mr.. Baer
says since the advent of the United
Mine Workers organization into the
anthracite fields, business conditions
there have been intolerable that the
output of the mines has decreased;
that discipline has been destroyed;
that strikes have been of almost daily
occurrence; that men have worked
when and as they please, and that the
cost of mining has been greatly in
creased. He also takes the position
that the jurisdiction of the commits
sion is limited to the conditions named
by the coal company presidents, which
excludes the United Mine Workers
from any recognition in the proceed
ings. He says, however, that ''when
a labor organization limited to anthra-
cite mine workers is created which
shall obey the law, respect the right of
every man to work, and honestly CO.
operate with employers, trade agree
ments may become practicable"
Other Replies Received.
Washington, Nov. 12.-Col. Carroll
D. Wright, of the anthracite coal
commission, has received the replies
of the six signatory parties repre-
senting the coal operators to the
statement of John Mitchell filed with
the commission. These replies will
be sent to Mr.. Mitchell and made
public Wednesday, except that of
President Baer, of the Reading COM
pany, which was made public Tues
day.
Receives First Battle Medal.