Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-15

day.
After a few prelimdnaries President Mitch
ell, who was on the stand all day yester-
day, again went into the witness box. and
his oross-examination by David WILCOX,
general counsel for the Delaware and Hud-
son company, was continued.
Several attorneys connected with the case
are of the opinion that some arrangement
will have to be agreed upon to expedite the
proceedings. Each side is anxious for q
speedy ending of the hearings. but this wiN
be impossible IL the present plans of the
contending parties are carried out.
Many Witnesses to Be Heard.
The miners have a large number of witt
| nesses to be heard, and the attorneys for
each of the coal companies are anxious to
cross-eXamine them.
After the miners have closed their case
the companies will also present long line
of persons to testify and 1t is the intention
of the lawyers the miners side to cross
examine the witnesses for the companies.
Immediately after the opening Of the
morning session Chairman Gray, for the
commission, addressed John T. Lenahan,
one of the attorneys for the non-unon men,
AT yesterdays session Mr.. Lenahan said he
represented the non-union men who worked
during the strike and wanted to know what
their status would be before the commis-
sion.
Status of Non-Union Men,
Judge Gray said the commission could not
give a decision until after it had carefully
considered the matter, and promised some
sort of an answer today. In addressing Mr..
Lenahan this morning the chairman said:
THE commission have considered the
matter Of your application and have de-
cided that 1t will ask you to submit to
them sta tement showing whom you rep
resent, by what authority, what points
other than those already at issue between
the formal parties to this controversy you
wish to inject into this hearing and a con-
else statement Of what you claim what
your position is in regard to the general
propositions between the formal and logical
parties to this commission, and also state
that you guarantee submission to award
of this commission"
Mitchell's Cross-Examination Resumed
Mr.. Lenahan asked:
How soon must this be done?"
LAS soon as you can," Judge Gray replied.
After Judge Gray's announcement to the
attorneys for the non-union men Mr.. Will
cox resumed his cross examination of Mr..
Mitchell.
He put in evidence extracts from the pro-
ceedings Of the Shamokin convention. which
formulated the demands which caused the
late strike; copy OF the United Mine
Workers journal, the official organ Of the
erationist, the official publication of the
American Federation of Labor
By Whom Pickets Are Directed.
Mr. Mitchell, answering a question by Mr..
Wilcox, said that the local unions or mass
meetings may direct the operations of pick
cts Mr.. Wilcox then read from a state
ment made by President Gompers Of tho
Federation Of Labor at the Chicago trust
conference in September, 1899. in which
Mr. Gompers is alleged to have said that
any trust legislation which did not prao-
tically exempt organized labor from its
operations would meet the unquestioned
opposition Of all the labor forces, and asked
the witness If that expressed his views.
Mr.. Mitchell replied that organized labor
would not look with favor upon any law
that would legislate them out Of business.
Not Less Than 5000 Year.
Mr. Mitchell, answering further questions.
said he regarded as living wages for a
miner not less than $500 a year. which
would cover his actual necessities and per-
NIT him to educate his children.
At this point Judge Gray asked the wit
ness If he meant to say a wage sufficient
to permit the children to avail themselves
of the public schools, or to spend por-
ton of the family income directly for edu-
cation; and sufficient to render 1t unneces-
sary to employ child labor to increase tho
income Of the family.
The witness answered in the affirmative.
On the question of the minimum age at
which boy should go on the breaker, Mr..
Mitchell said he would advocate that It be
put at fourteen years.
Question of Wages.
Mr. Wilcox examined Mr.. Mitchell at
some length regarding the various de-
mands of the miners.
do you know the wages that are paid
,ro ,bout seO OOO OOD7'' Mr. Nfllooy aSkad
'I have read that statement" the witt
ness answered.
Don't you or your committee know itT'
inquired Mr.. Wilcox
mo, sir; we don't" Mr.. Mitchell re-
This is a demand of s12. 900, 900 increase
in the cost of production" said Mr.. Will
ION that calculation, yes" replied the
witness; that would be about twelve or
thirteen cents a ton"
Would Have Asked for More.
Mr. Wilcox took up one OF President
Baer's statements and Mr.. Mitchell said
that 1t was susceptible of several interpre-
tations.
For instance" he said, "Mr- Baer il
quoted as saying that slate pickers receive
s5 cents day. That may be true in some
cases. but we know that most slate pickers
get much less than that amount"
In reply to another question, Mr.. Mitchell
said that If the miners had known at the
outset that the differences would go to q
board of arbitration they would have ask
ed for more SO that while the arbitratora
were settling the question they would set
tie 1t right
No Reduction as to Quantity.
Mr.. Mitchell denied that his organizations
restricted the quantity of work a man
should perform, but said 1t did believe in
regulating the hours of the work.
Judge Gray asked:
eff 1 blast and throw down enough coal
to employ three laborers to load and you
only throw down eonugh to employ two,
am not to be allowed to employ the third
laborer?'
Mr.. Mitchell replied:
"You would not be, because your iaborera
could not all work in the same place You
should have to work at two different
breasts to do that, and as you would have
to comply with the law Of Pennsylvania l.