Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-11-22
THE TWO UNIONS
Mr., Mitchell Says Mine Workers
Should Not Divide.
He HAS COMPLETED TESTIMONY
On Stand -Four and Half Days, Subjected to
Searching Cross examination by the


ing on the stand for foar and half
DAYS. President Mitchell, of the MINI
ers' union, COMPLETED his testimony
at noon Yesterday before the Anthra-
cite Coal Commission. During his
ordeal he was examined by his own at
torneY and those Of the Erie COMPANY,
the Delaware and Hudson. the Della
ware, LacLawanna and Western. the
Lehigh Valley and the Philadelphia
and Reading Coal and Iron Company.
and also by the attorneys of the indie
pendent operators. He was followed
on the witness stana BY the Rev. Peter
Roberts q Congregational minister,
who has studied the anthracite coal
industry and has written book on
the subject. He was still on the stand
when the commission adjourned for
the dav
One of the most important things
brought ont by the cross-exaimnation
Of President Mitchell was his emphat-
ic declaration that the miners were
opposed to separating the bitnminous
mines from the anthracite workers,
thus creating two organizations. He
made this reDly TO q question OF ex-
Congressman Simon Wolverton coun-
sell for the Reading Company, as to
whether it would not be better to have
separate organizations. Mr.. Mitch
ellis answer was that 1T would not be
possible OF desirable The anthracite
mine workers have had several. They
have gone. They are not here now.
and the men do not want any more of
their organizations to go the same
way .
ADVOCATED BY MR.. WRIGHT.
Commissioner Wight, as head f
the Bureau OF Labo, n his report to
President Roosevelt en- the coal strike,
dated Jene 30, suggested among other
things rs reasonable and just to pre-
vent indust ial conflict in the anthra-
cite employees should organize an an
thracite coal miners union, in its au-
tonomy to be independent of the Unit
ed Mine Workers of America but
might be affiliated with it, There has
been some gossip among the small
army of attorneys at the hearings that
the commission nav possibly suggest
such a separate union, and the fact
that Mr.. Wolverton touched on the
matter shows that it is being seriously
thought of IN some quarters. What
effect M. Mitchell's declaration viii
have on the attitude of the commits
sioners il this phase Of the labor ques-
tion is taken up by them is, of course.
not known
The non--union men, that is, those
who remained at work during the
strike, were made a party to the arbi-
tration plan Yesterday bv their counsel
agreeing to make public the names of
the men who netitioned the commits
sion. When the attorneys for the
'non-striking wolslneu. as Chair
man GRAY designated them, and who
number about 1000 made demand to
the commission for 20 per cent. in
crease in wages, with no reduction in
honrs, their attorneys desired to with
hold the names Of the persons they
represented, The commission, how
ever, decided it could not be party
to sach plan OF secrecy.
MEN MUST ACCEPT AWARD.
Ia connection with the non-union
featd OF the investigation. Mr.. Nit
chell announced that he is also repre-.
senting thoGss ads OF non-union men
who st rex w'.h the unionist, and
that all the NO, meo would abide by
Tie awasd OF the bitration commits
son, "or get OCT Of the union" Mr..
Mitchell test lmo " yesterday contain
cd little that WAS new 20 the commiss-
toners end that Of Nj. Roberts was of
a General cha actee, egarding the eco
norlic and soci2l conditions in the an
thrGcite C0al coQht 3.
The commissioners, while regretting
thev have 70 do 50, are still reminding
both sides Oh t they would like to have
the Submission Of testimony expedit-
ed Chai man Gray several times dur
lug the dsy inte a ated aud showed
that ground then being gone over had
already been cove ed. 1t has been su0-
gested that cor sci Tor both sides agree
to ules for The Submission of evil
donce, bit nothing has vet been done
lookiu- on srd thst end.
OFF Err TO YOUNG WOMEN.