The Somerset reporter., 1902-10-30
The Coal Com mission, Etc.

The Coal Commission, Etc.
President Roosevelt on Thursday, the
23d instant, summoned the coal strike
commission and addressed them as
follows:
Gentlemen-At the request both of
the operators and of the miners | have
appointed you a commission to inquire
into, consider and pass upon the ques-
tions In controversy in connection with
the strike in the anthracite region, and
the causes out Of which the controversy
arose.
"By the action you recommend, which
the parties 10 interest have in advance
consented to abide by, you will endeavor
to establish the relations between the
employers and the wage workers in the
anthracite fields on Il just and permanent
basis, and as far as possible to do away
with any causes for the recurrence of
such difficulties as those which you have
been called In to settle.
81 submit to you herewith the pub
lished statement of the operators, fol-
lowing which named you as the men,
bers of the commission, Mr.. Wright
being named as recorder; also the letter
from Mr.. Mitchell. appoint Mr.. Nose
~ and Mr.. Neill as assistants TO the re-
corder.'
With the instructions were the state
ments of the operators.
The members of the commission with.
drew in a body. When they left the
White House they declined to comment
upon their interview. They went d.
rectly to the Office of Commissioner of
Labor Wright to organize and prepare
for their work.
The commission went into executive
session at Col. Wright's office at II
o'clock. Judge Gray was chosen chair
man.
The presiding officer is to be officially
called the President of the commission.
The arbitration commission named by
Pres. Roosevelt met in the temporary
White House at 10 o'clock, Friday morn
ing. Some of the members have no de-
tailed knowledge of the questions which
they are called upon to determine. Two
members, Col Wright and Mr.. Parker,
are thoroughly familiar with every phase
of the mining situation. Messrs. Wright
and Parker have decided to make no sug-
gestions to their colleagues. They will
let the President map out their work for
them and will be guided by his written
Instructions.
The issue regarded as paramount be-
fore the commission Is that of recognize
ing the miners organization. The
whole strike was based on the deter
mined refusal of the operators to recog-
nize this organization. The question of
hours and wages might easily have been
adjusted had not the union interfered.
The chief contention of Mr.. Mitchell has
been to obtain recognition for the union.
More bitterness between the operators
and their employees is involved in this
one point than in all the others COM
bined.
On Saturday, Pres. Roosevelt an
nounced that he had designated Com'r
OF Labor Wright as an additional men,
Der of the coal Arbitration commission.
the commission. The announcement
on the subject.
Mitchell's attention was called to the
statement from Washington that objec.
ton would be made to his appearing
before the Arbitration commission. He
said: ~ am preparing to represent the
mine workers before the commission and
to present their claims. | should not
prepare to do so unless had very good
reasons to believe that my presence was
desired"
When asked why the striking miners
who were turned away by the indepen-
dent operators had refused to agree not
to disturb the non-union men, he said
"The men were told not to enter into
any agreement until after the meeting
OF the Arbitration commission.
The anthracite coal strike commission
Monday, In the hearing room Of the in.
terstste commerce commission, held Its
first conference with the parties to the
controversy in the anthracite regions
There was full representation of both
operators and miners, and members OF
the press and number OF other inter
ested parties were present.
Mr.. Mitchell, president of the United
Mine Workers, and District President
Fshy appeared for the miners, and the
coal roads we're represented as follows
President Baer Of the Philadelphia &
Reading +. B. Thomas, chairman of the
board of Pennsylvania Coal Co., and
Hillsdsle Coal & Iron Co.; Alfred Wal
ter, president of the Lehigh Valley; w
II. Truesdale, president OF the Delaware
LsckawaDna & Western; David Wilcox
vice president of the Delaware & Hud
son; John B. Herr, vice president Of thu
Scranton Coal Co. and Elk Hill Coal
Iron Co.. j. b. Torrey, attorney for thu
Delaware & Hudson, and Francis
Gowan, attorney for the Lehigh Val
| ley Co.
The commission decided to begin III
work, this Thursday morning, at
o'clock, the first days Of the investing
ton to be devoted to physical examine
tion of the mines and the hopes of tn,
miners, starting in the vicinity of Scran