The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-16
Judge Gray Requests Them to Sub
nit Their Proposition to the
Commission.
MITCHELL STILL UNDER FIRE.
President of Mine Workers Union
Able to Handle His Side of
I the Question-Inquiry
! Will Be Lengthy.

Scranton, Pa, Nov. 15.-President Mitchell
Of the United Mine Workers Union occu-
pied the witness stand throughout both ses-
I ssions CT the Coal Strike Commission to-day.
For four hours and half he took the cross
t1re Of the brilliant attorneys of the coal
companies and ended the day with few scars
f4as a result Of the battle David Wilcox of
as a result of the battle. David Wilcox of
and Hudson Company, and Wayne Mac
Veagh of Philadelphia, who Is representing
the Pennsylvania Coal Company and the
Hillside Coal and Iron Company. were the
principal questoners who put hundreds OF
questions to MIR. Mitchell. The best OF har-
mony prevailed among the lawyers ard
witnesses The members of the commission
a.. continue to take the same interest in every
ching that Is done and frequently interrupt
with questions in order that they may have
better understanding Of what is being
said.
MITCHELL OSS-EXAMINED.
The afternoon session was the more in
: teresting. President MacVeagh's cross-ex-
animation was. as a rule, very keen, and
4 while he assured Mr.. Mitchell that he was
not radically opposed to him, he did not
miss an opportunity to place Mr.. Mitchelfs
reasons for better conditions in the anthra-
cite field in a bad Light before the commits
sion.
Mr. Mitchell he informed him that he was
z not opposed to the proper organization OF
labor. He took up the demands of the
miners seriatim- He questioned MIR. Mitch
ell on the demand for an increase in wages
= and pressed the national president hard
when he asked him IL he cared to carry the
{ responsibility Of increasing the living ex-
penses of tho great masses of people os the
Eastern States. who would ultimately have
, 20 carry the burdens of the miners, II high
er wages were granted.
60 Mr. Mitchell's reply. In substance. was
that tie miners could not assume the re-
SSponsibility, as It was q situation over which
~>they had no control.
~" Mr.. MacVeagh made the most Of his op-
opportunity to picture the great burden that
would fall upon the people IL the demands
of the miners were granted. From this
a question he passed to the demands for
Y Pahorter workday and the weighing Of coal
BY the ton of 2.240 pounds. and then took up
!. the fourth demand for trade agreements.
1swhfch practically means the recognition OF
the union. He asked Mr.. Mitchell what
: sort of a contract he would draw up, and
s.Ifhe latter replied that he would favor an
. agreement as outlined in his suggestions to
-She commission yesterday 49,
& After going over the demands Of the MN
ers. Mr.. MacVeagh took up the conditions
existing In and about the collieries OF the
companies represented and tried to show
that the conditions spoken Of by Mr.. Mitch
u were not borne out. by .inyestig alton. 6
SHe took Forest City, where the mines OF
NE companies were situated. as an example.
{ and produced photographs of houses in the
town and also REFERRED to the large depos-+
tts Of money In the local bank to show the
!. prosperous condition of the community.
u Ir. Mitchell, Though. Sot, Gmittt1g that
che conditions as presented by Mr.. Mac
! Iveaxh were true. said he escouid not. for lack
1gf familiarity with the community. deny his
AaHser1ions. so -
s5I EGHT-HouR DAY..
: The constitution of the United Mine
a{tForkers Of America was also taken. up by
The lawyer, and he and Mr. Mitchell sew
eral times spared for points regarding the
,ysferences contained in it to an eight-hour
Ss, AR. Macveagh contended that no one had
The right to deny man the privilege of
fwoFking more than eight hours a day If
4 be. so desired. He said not one member of
fse- commission would be occupying his
present high place II he had limited his
own labors TO eight hours day.
With reference to this argument, Mr..
Mitchell thought it was not fair to COM
.pApa the mine workers with the arbitrators.
Mr.. MacVeagh said he himself started out
ND Fife by working fourteen hours a day on
"A farm. and for more than forty years he
mad worked more than ten hours day.
To the direct question OF whether he. As
Fpfesident of the union had right to cur
tail the hours of employment each day OF
the miners, Mr.. Mitchell seid he thought