The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-20
MITCHELL CONCLU DES
AND IS SUCCEEDED ON THE STAND
BY A MINISTER.
CHILD LABOR TOUCHED ON.
HOW CHEAP LABOR is CARRIED
INTO COAL FIELDS.

Mr.. Mitchell Explains That When "a
Man Goes on Strike He Does Not
Voluntarily Give Up His Job, but
strikes for an Improvement in the
Condition of the JOb"-Rev Mr..
ROberts Discusses the Immi grafton
Problem as 1t Relates to the Labor
Problem.
Scranton, Pa, Nov. 19.-After being
on the stand for four and half days,
President Mitchell of the Mine Work
ers' Union completed his testimony at
noon to-day before the Anthracite
Coal Commission. During his ordeal
he was examined by his own attorney
and those of the Erie company, the
Delaware and Hudson the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western, the Lehigh
Valley and the Philadelphia and Read
ing Coal and Iron Company and also
by the attorneys of the independent
operators.
He was followed on the witness stand
by Rev. Peter Roberts, a Congrega-
tional minister, who has studied the
anthracite coal industry and has writ
ten a book on the subject. He was
still on the stand when the commits
sion adjourned for the day.
One of the most important things
brought out by the cross ton
of President Mitchell was his en-
phatic declaration that the min
ers were opposed to separating
the bituminous miners from the an
thracite workers, thus creating two or
ganizations. He made this reply to a
Is ~
Wolverton, counsel for the Reading
company, as to whether it would not
be better to have separate organiza-
tions. Mr.. MitchelPs answer was that
1t would not be possible or desirable.
The anthracite mine workers have had
independent organizations in the past
They have had several. They have
gone. They are not here now and the
men do not want any more of their
organizations to go the same way.
Separation Not Wanted.
Commissioner Wright, as head of the
Department of Labor, in his report to
President Roosevelt on the coal strike,
dated June 20, suggested among other
things, as reasonable and just" to
prevent industrial conflict in the an
thracite fields. that the anthracite en-
ployes should organize an anthracite
coal miners union, in its autonomy to
be independent of the United Mine
Workers of America" but might be
affiliated with it. There has been some
gossip among the small army of at
torneys at the hearings that the COM
mission may possibly suggest such
separate union, and the fact
that Mr.. WolVerton touched on
the matter shows that it is
being seriously thought of in. some
quarters. What effect Mr.. Mitchelrs
declaration will have on the attitude
of the commissioners, if this phase of
the labor question is taken up by
them, is, of course, not known.
Non-Union Men Let in.
The non-union men, that is, those
who remained at work during the
strike, were made a party to the ar
bitration plan to-day by their counsel
agreeing to make public the names of
the men who petitioned the commits
sion.
The attorneys for the "non-striking
workmen," as Chairman Gray, desig-
mated them, and who number about
1000. made a demand to the commits
sion for a 20 per cent. increase in
wages, with no reduction in hours.
Their attorneys desired to withhold
the names of the persons they repre-
scented. The commission, however, de
ClQeQ 1t COulu uOl NC d EdINS W oo-ii
a plan of secrecy. In connection with
the non-union feature of the investi-
CATION, Mr.. Mitchell announced that
he is also representing thousands Of
non-union men who struck with the
unionists, and that all the workmen
would abide by the award of the ar
bitration commission, ''or get out of
the union"
Heard Little That Was New.
Mr. Mitchell's testimony to-day con-
tanned little that was new to the COM
missioners, and that of Mr.. Roberts
was of a general character, regarding
the economic and social conditions in
the anthracite coal country. The COM
missioners, while regretting they have
to do so, are still reminding both sides
that they would like to have the SUBJ
mission of testimony expedited. Chair
man Gray several times during the
day interrupted and showed that
ground then being gone over had al
ready been covered. 1t has been sug-
gested that counsel for both sides
agree to rules for the submission OF
evidence, but nothing has yet been
done looking toward that end.
At the opening of to-day's session
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