Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-17
'NITCHELL UNDER KIRE|
Strike Leader In Verbal Duel Before
Arbitration Commission.
STANDS TEE ORDEAL WELL.
Wayne alacVeaMh. R3D-eaentis lE the
Mining Companies. 'Ir4ea tn s'sace
ON Union 0aa, of Raising
Prices-NGnwpiDn Men.

Scranton. "a, N1". II. ~- .'rog,' III
Mitchell Of lhr MIN w r..cl'.' NY; II &C.
cupicd the witUtFa stand .la,.2h0ut
both the latest sessions Of ,Aa Goa!
strike commission. F4r Ionr hours and
a half he took the crtsss fire Of two of
The brilliant attorneys ol the c9a. COM
panies and ended the day with few
scars us a result OF the battle.
David Wilcox of %cN' York. general
company, and Wayne MacVeagh Of
Philadelphia, who is representing the
Pennsylvania Coal company and the
Hillside Coal and Iron company. We're
the principal questioners. and they put
hundreds Of questions to Mr.. Mitchell.
The best Of harmony prevailed be-
tween the lawyer and the witness.
The members of the commission CON
tinue to take the same interest in ev-
erything that is done and frequently
interrupt with questions in order that
they may have Il better understanding
Of what is being said.
The afternoon session was the more
interesting. Mr.. MacVea CHS cross ex-
animation was. as Il rule. very keen.
and. while he assured Mr.. Mitchell
that he was not radically opposed to
him, he did not miss an opportunity to
place Mr.. Mitchell's reasons for better
conditions in the anthrac cite fields in a
bad light before the commission. When
he began his cross examination of Mr..
Mitchell at noon, he informed him that
he was not opposed to proper organized
labor.
The Wage Increase Demand.
He questioned Mr.. Mitchell on the
demand for ain increase in wages and
pressed the national president hard
when he asked him II he cared to car
ry the responsibility Of increasing the
living expenses of the great mass of
our people of the eastern states, who
would ultimately, have to carry the
burden if the demands of the miners
for higher wages were granted.
Mr. Mitchells reply in substance was
that the miners could not assume the
responsibility, rs it was u situation OF
which they had no control. Mr.. Vac
Veagh made the most Of his opportu-
nifty to picture the great burden that
would fall upon the poor if the de-
mands of the miners We're granted.
From this question he passed to the
demands for a shorter workday and
the weighing of coal by the ton of
2,240 pounds and then took up the
fourth demand Of the men for trade
agreements, Which practically means
recognition Of the union.
He asked Mr.. Mitchell what sort of a
contract he would draw up, and the
latter replied he would favor an agree
ment as outlined in his suggestion to
the commission last Friday.
A Prosperous Mining Town.
After going over the demands of the
miners Mr.. MacVeagh took up the con.
ditions existing in and about the col
lieries of the companies he represents
and tried to show that the conditions
spoken of by Mr.. Mitchell were not
borne out by investigation. He took
Forest City, where the mines of the
are situated, as an example
and produced photographs of houses IN
the town and also referred to the large
deposits Of money in the local bank to
show the prosperous condition of the
Mr. Mitchell, although not admitting
that the conditions as presented by
Mr.. VacVeagh were true, said he could
not, for lack Of familiarity with the
deny his assertions. The
of the United Mine Work
ers of America was also taken up by
the lawyer, and he and Mr.. Mitchell
several times spared for points re-
yarding the references contained in 1t
to an eight hour day.
Concerning NOnunion Men.
In the opening session Chairman
Gray of the commission addressed
John 7. Lenehan, one Of the attorneys
for the nonunion men. At Fridays |
meeting Mr.. Lenehan said he repre-
,ented the nonunion men who worked |
Turing the strike and wanted to know
what their status would be before the
commission. Judge Gray said the CON-
mission could not give decision until
after it had carefully considered the
natter and promised some sort Of an
answer later. In addressing Mr. Lene-
lan in the opening session the chair
nan said:
1.-THE commission have considered the
natter of your application and have
decided that it will ask you to submit |
o them statement showing whom |
you represent, by what authority, what |
)oint other than those already at issue |
between the formal parties to this con-
roversy you wish to inject into this
and concise statement of |
what you claim or what your positions
s in regard to the general PROPOSITIONS |
between the formal and logical parties |
% this commission and also state that |
you guarantee submission to award Of |
his commission"
"A