The Savannah morning news., 1902-10-07
MITCHELL is MUM.
Refuses 20 Give Any Information as
to Conference.

Refuses TO Give Any Information as
TO Conference.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 6.-President
John Mitchell of the United Mine
Workers of America slipped out of
town before dawn this morning. where
| he met United States Commissioner of
Labor Carroll D. Wright, who is Pres
tive on matters pertaining to an
thracite coal strike. Mr.. Mitchell re-
turned here tonight unaccompanied
and announced, and made the sim
pie statement that he had met the la
Dor commissioner. He refused abso-
Iutely to discuss his visit to Phila-
delphia, declined to say where in Phil
adelphia he met Mr.. Wright. or what
passed between them. Subsequently
he Informed representative of the AS
ISOLATED Press that he saw other gen.
tlemen while there, buk declined to dis
close their Identity.
In the view that Mr.. Wright is close
to President Roosevelt, there is a gem
eral impression here that Commission
err Wright carried a message from the
President to Mr.. Mitchell A rumor
which cannot be verified Is in circula-
ton here tonight that President
Roosevelt has appealed to Mr.. Mitch
ell to end the strike in the cause of
humanity.
Interest in Mr.. Mitchelrs mysterious
trip was intense all day and evening
about headquarters. All the local dis
trict leaders called and scores of mine
workers were in evidence. No one
seemed to know anything and all are
of the belief that some sort of a move
is contemplated. Mr.. Mitchell grant
ed the newspaper correspondents a brief
interview, simply telling them he met
Mr.. Wright. and then he and the dis
trict presidents went into conference.
Mitchell Issues statement
The conference between Mr.. Mitchell
and his district presidents continued
until 11:l5 O'Clock, and at II 80 o'clock.
five minutes before the national presi-
dent left for Buffalo, he gave to the
press the following statement, which
was hurriedly prepared after he re-
turned from Philadelphia tonight:
"Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 6. To District
Secretaries and All Mine Workers in
the Anthracite Field-You have, no
doubt, read in the daily papers the
proceedings of the conference at the
White House last Friday In which your
officers proposed an immediate resump-
ton of work If the operators would
agree with us to refer the questions
at issue in the strike to the decision
of the President of the United
States and tribunal named
by him. You have noted the
reply of the presidents of
the coal carrying roads. in which they
responded to our overtures by de-
nouncing your union, its members and
officers in the most vehement and ma
licious manner possible. They also
declared that large majority of the
strikers would return to work IL given
military protection and they demanded
that the Precedent send United States
troops to the coal fields.
I'm order to demonstrate to the peo-
pie of our country that the statements
of the operators are unfounded. and
that the mine workers are law-abid-
ing citizens the officers of all local
unions should call mass meetings of
all men on strike, union and non-un-
ion, such meetings to be held in each
mining town at 2 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon, Oct. 8. We know that the
mine workers are not restrained from
going to work by fear OF bodily harm.
and If this is the sentiment prevailing
at the meetings, resolutions should be
adopted emphatically declaring the
statements of the operators to be un-
true.
I'VE also advise that acts Of law
lessness by the coal and iron poIica
and by strikers be denounced, and the
services of members of the union ten
dered the local authorities to preserve
law and order
Great care should be exercised that
those on strike do not permit themselves
TO be provoked by the coal and iron
police into the commission Of overt
acts. The operators falling to break
the strike and deprive you OF your wen.
earned victory. are now attempting 10