The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-04
PRESIDENT CAN'TACT
HE HAS NO POWER TO INTERVENE
IN THE COAL STRIKE.
ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS so.
Legal. OPINION ON THE REPORT
OF COMMISSIONER WRIGHT.

No Strike That Has Caused More
Conflicting Views and Irritating
Complaints Operators Question
the Ability of the Union to Com
troll Its own Members-Union, Too,
Not Regarded as Responsible for
Contracts Into Which 1t May En-
ter.
Washington, Sept. 3-CarroI D.
Wright, commissioner of labor, was
designated by the President in June,
last, to investigate and report to him
the causes and conditions accompany
ing the present controversy between
the Pennsylvania anthracite coal oper-
ators and their miners. Twelve days
later Mr.. Wright submitted his find
ings to the President.
After carefully going over the report,
the President submitted it to the at
torney general, who, after giving it full
and careful consideration, reports that
the executive has no power whatever
to take action in the matter. The re-
port is accordingly made public.
Mr.. Wright conducted his investiga-
ton in New York, being represented in
the coal regions by an experienced
man. who, he states, had studied the
conditions in the coal regions many
times. and who undertook to make the
necessary inquiries relative to the
present strike.
Most Troublesome strike.
Mr. Wright says that he knows of
no strike that has presented so many
varying conditions, conflicting views
and irritating complaints. The pres
ent strike, he says, finds its root in the
settlement of the strike of 1900, when
the advance demanded by the miners
was conceded. Since that time there
has been increased sensitiveness, and
more intense irritation than during the
previous twenty-five years.
Coal production, profits and trans
portation are some of the subjects dis
cussed in the report. Concerning the
control of the union over the miners, 4
Mr.. Wright says:
Union Can't Control Members.
Nearly all the operators. so far as
learned, have>no confidence in the abil-
ity of the miners union to control its
own members to any such degree as
to assist in maintaining proper disei-
pine. Here is sharp con-
f1ict, and one which reaches
to the very essence of the irritating
conditions that now attend anthracite
coal mining.
Some of the operators do not hest
tate to say and it is believed that this
statement is favorably regarded by
some of the union officers, that no
great progress will be made towards
more peaceful condition in the min
ing regions until the anthracite miners
have a union of their own, it's au-
tonomy indiVidualized, and not COM
plicated with that of the bituminous
coal miners.
claimed distinctly that they had any
antagonism to labor unions as such
They do object and most seriously, to
some of the methods adopted by the
unions, and they feel that, when asked
to make contracts with the unions, the
latter should put themselves in a po-
sition to be pecuniarily responsible for
carrying out such contracts"
Have Secured Some Discipline.
Mr. Wright concludes his report as
follows:
Much evidence has been offered to
show the general condition of miners,
their complaints and grievances, and
the complaints and grievances of the
operators. 1t is very clearly shown by
the evidence that the miners have done
something in the way of securing dis
cipline, although they have disappoint-
ed the operators in such attempts
The miners feel that the corpor-
atoms, when they refuse to recognize
the right of the unions to represent
the men in adjusting any difficulty,
cannot deny that the officers have the
power to decide whether or not the en-
ployes shall strike. They also state
that if the opera tors will make an
agreement with them, they will carry
it out as far as it lies in their power
to do so, but that without an agree
ment they are all the time quibbling as
to conditions under which miners shall
work.
1T is represented to me by reputa-
BILE parties, who have no interest in
the mining business one way or the
other. that the chief difficulty lies in
the lack of organization. This is
shown by the existence of many prac
tlceS in the mana cement of coal mines
which appear to be unwise, unfair and
calculated to work hardship. There
are very prosperous miners in the coal
region. and of course there is also, as
in every industry, great restitution.
The whole problem is an extremely
complex one, and involves many prac-
tees that have been built up through
long years. The mine owners too often
nave regarded the average miner as
unreasonable and likely to be unruly
when occasion offered. The miner has
come to regard the average owner as
greedy and ready to do anything which
Will take advantage of him. Long
continued conditions of this basis of
suspicion make the question one of
great difficulty.
eight Hours Day.
1t would seem reasonable that, If
the men should be sure of steady
work, they could well afford, perhaps,
10 take less wages, or even to con-
unue on the present basis of payment.
1t is insisted by many that eight hours
day for six days in the week, at
less wages than they are now receiv-
ing, would make the miners as pros
porous class of workmen as can be
found in the United States"
Mr.. Wright makes the following
suggestions, which he says seem rea-
sonable and just:
First That the anthracite employees
should organize an anthracite coal
miners union, in its autonomy to be
independent of the United Mines
workers of America. The new union
might. of course, be affiliated with the
United Mine Workers and the Fedora
tlon of Labor but in the conduct of
al the affairs relating to the anthra-
cite coal regions the new union should
preserve its own autonomy and De
financially responsible for its agree
ments.
Second. That. considering all the