Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-14
WHAT OPERATORS SAY
Expect Miners to Accept
Their Proposal.
WAS DRAWN BY BAER
NOT CONSIDERED A CONCESSION
TO MINERS.
Question of Resumption on Full Time
Discussed by the Coal
Magnates.
WAS DRAWN BY BAER

NEW YORK. October IA. - President
George F. Baer of the Philadelphia
and Reading railroad arrived here from
Philadelphia today. He said he had
come to attend the regular weekly meet
| ing of the Temple Iron Company.
do you consider that the proposition
| submitted to the President Is in the nature
| of recession from the stand taken by the
| operators?' he was asked.
| II happen to have drawn the proposition
| myself" Mr. Baer replied, .'or at least
| had considerable part In preparing it,
| and may state that it embodies my opin-
| ions and views. Further than that l can
not say anything"
Asked what he thought would be the
result of the offer made to the President,
he replied:
| Il am not prophet.
Mr.. Baer was asked whether the props
| osition looked to immediate resumption on
| full time.
| Il do not care to discuss that" he
| said.
| President Olyphant Of the Delaware and
| Hudson was asked if the public would not
| look upon the proposition of the operators
concession to the miners.
| Concession to Humanity.
| 1T is not a concession to the miners"
| he replied 1T is a concession to human
| ity 1t is move taken to relieve the dis
| tress prevalent throughout the country.
| The need of coal was a serious matter to
| contemplate If the season had been sum-
| mer instead of winter, such statement
| might not nave been called for.
Prior to the meeting President Truesdaie
| of the Lackawanna said:
1.-The whole matter rests with the Presi-
dent. We reserved no right to question the
appointment of any individual on the COM
mission whom the President may see fit to
| appoint on the terms of our offer. don't
| know whether the President intends to
| consult Mr. Mitchell before deciding to ap-
| point the commission, and l have no idea
| of its possible makeup. If he sees mt 10
| appoint arbitration committee and take
| up our proposal we will not question the
! appointment Of any individuals he may Sc
| lect."
| Some comment has been caused by the
| absence of the signature of John Markle,
| the independent operator, from the peti-
| ton to President Roosevelt.
Why Markle Did Not Sign.
| President Fowler of the Ontario and
Western, when asked why Mr.. Markle had
| not been one of the signers. replied that he
| did not know that Mr.. Markle knew any
| thing about the move to obtain peace.
Asked if the operators had received any
assurances as to the action of the President
in the matter, he replied in the negative.
On the subject of giving the miners full
| time when the mines were opened, Presi-
| dent Truesdale said he couldn't speak eX-
| cept for his own road and company. That,
he said, for two years had run full time,
except when there were shutdowns for re-
pairs or because of holidays. He assumed
that the old practice of the company would
be resumed.
Mr. Truesdale was also asked If the coal
| roads had sufficient cars to carry coal. he
replied that he thought they had. but for
his own road he could say SO positively.
These cars, he added. are available Tor Tag
immediate movement of coal, and ne De
lieved the same conditions prevailed Win
other coal roads
Governor Odell was seen at the republican
state committee rooms and was asked nus
opinion of the terms of settlement oHerea
the miners by the operators. He said: I
have not read it carefully, but from what
have heard. it is not particularly new L
could say a good deal about it, but l won't.
This much l will say, however, that could
settle the strike in five minutes without the
sacrifice of self-pride on the part or either
operators or miners, if they would let me-
When asked what his plan was ne replleu:
Il can't tell you now. Perhaps 1t will be
made known this afternoon
Due to Public Necessity.
President Fowler, on being asked what
Influences if any, induced the operators to
submit the differences with their men to
arbitration, replied:
"It was chiefly due to the pressure OF
public opinion, or, rather, you might say,
public necessity. We recognized tGat the
public would suffer from scarcity of coal II
something was not done soon ana we con-
cluded that it would be honorable to over
lcok in a measure the rights of the interests
that we represent in order that a way out
Of a serious predicdment might be round.
Many of the schools were getting ready TO
shut down, and still greater hardships
might be suffered.
do you regard the offer of the operators
to arbitrate a partial backdoWn py
them?" 70
II suppose many persons would take It
that way" was the answer
John Markle, the independent operator,
declared he had nothing to say when asked
why he did not sign the statement Offering
arbitration.
Must Have Convention.
President Mitchell was asked at noon by
the correspondent of the Associated Press
whether he and the district officers had the
power to consider the operators plan and
end the strike. His reply was:
Speaking without special reference to
the statement issued by the coal operators.
it Is a rule of our organization that no set
tlement can be made by the officers Of the
union without the consent of delegate
convention.
In reply to another question as to whether
the Shamokin convention which formulated
the demands made to the operators. or the
Hazleton convention which made the strike
permanent, had given him this consent, he
said, NO
The three district presidents are on their
way here President Mitchell Will immedt-
ately go into conference with them on the
new offer. The miners chief refused to say
whether a convention call will be considered
today or. where and when such a meeting,
IL held, will take place. He also declined to
say how long 1t would take to get the dele
gates together. Mr.. Mitchell continues to
decline to answer all questions as to
whether he Is for or against the opsrators
plan as a whole or In part. He has not Yet
received official notification of the operators
desire to arbitrate.
Scenes Around Headquarters.
There were lively scenes about strike
headquarters today. Mine workers and
leaders who have not been near headquar-
tiers in many days dropped in to hear the
news. Mr.. Mitchell had number of visit
orss during the noon hour. among them
Louis Hammeriing, who acted as mis-
hot ILL