New-York tribune., 1902-10-28
ARBITRAT0RS AT WORK.
PLANS FOR COAL STRIKE IN
YESTIGATION MADE.
QUESTION OF UNION RECOGNITION
WAIVED BY MITCHELL-TO BEGIN
INSPECTION OF MINES AT
SCRANTON THURSDAY
q rELEGRArH ID IL rRInrNE.I B

! tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEI
/ Washington, Oct 27.-The commission ap-
/ pointed by President Roosevelt TO adjust the
/ questions at issue between the anthracite mine
/ operators and their employees held its first busi-
ness meeting this afternoon in the rooms of
| the Interstate Commerce Commission The
methods 10 be pursued in the investigation
discussed. and it was determined that the first
work of the commission should be visit the
anthracite region and inspect the mines and
the homes Of the workmen. so as to get good
general idea Of the conditions under which the
miners work and the way in which they live
This inspection of the mine region will begin in
Scranton on Thursday morning of this week.
! In the time the workmen will be prepar-
ing a statement of their claims which will be
presented to the commission on Monday Of next
week copy OF this statement will be fur
nished to the operators who will file their an
swer with the commission three days later.
Mr.. Baer on the part of the coal operators.
took exception 10 Mr. MitcheITs appearance be-
fore the commission as a representative of the
Mine Workers Union, but said that he had
>objection 20 his presence as a representative OF
the strikers in their individual capacity. Mr..
Mitchell waived his claim TO appear presis
dent Of the union. and win appear the repre-
sentative of the strikers
THOSE WHO WE'RE PRESENT.
There was full representation of both oper.
ators and miners. and members of the press ana
a number Of other interested parties were pres
ent. The commissioners occupied the elevated
seats generally filed by members of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission. Judge Gray.
president. in the centre. and Messrs. Wright.
Watkins and Clark the seats TO the right OF
him in the order named. While General Wilson.
Bishop Spalding and Mr.. Parker the left
in the order OF their names The proceedings
lasted about two hours. and were devoted 20
discussion of the time and method of proceeding
with the investigation.
Mr. Mitchell. president of the United Mine
Workers; District President Fahey and Walter
E weyl appeared for the miners. and the opera
tors were represented by President Baer of the
Philadelphia and Reading. E. B. Thomas. chair
man OF the board Of the Erie Railroad Com
pany; Alfred Walter. president Of the Lehigh
Valley ". H. Truesdale. president Of the Della
ware. Lackawanna and Western: David Wilcox
vice president OF the Delaware and Hudson,
John b Herr. vice-president Of the Scranton
Coal Company and the Elkhin Coal and Iron
Company; j. B Torrey. attorney for the Della
and Hudson, and Francis l. Gowan, at
torney for the Lehigh Valley Company The
room crowded with representatives of the
press and spectators
Before the opening of the proceedings the
members OF the commission and the representa-
tives OF the contesting parties were photo
graphed. Judge Gray read the order OF the
President creating the commission. and In a
general way outlined the procedure TO be fol-
lowed in the presentation Of the issues. He
said that in accordance with tnnmemoriai prac-
tice among English speaking peoples. the COM
mission would first receive the statements or
demands of the miners. who were TO be re-
garded for the purposes OF this case as the
prosecutors. The reply of the other side would
then be heard. in order that the commission
might have a definite issue before IT, Mr.
Mitchell then said that he had with him the
formal demands made by the miners on the
operators and at the suggestion of Judge Gray
he read the statement of the miners demands
adopted by the Shamokin convention. the re-
lection OF which resulted in the strike.
QUESTION OF RECOGNITION RAISED.
President Baer then objected 20 the appear
ance Of Mr.. Mitchell as a representative of the
United Mine Workers of America. but said he
had no objection 10 Mr.. Mitchelrs appearance as
a representative of the anthracite miners gener-
ally. Mr. Baer's object TO avoid recognition
OF the Mine Workers Union an order. MIR.
Mitchell replied that the objections raised as 70
his status not involved in the case He
said he appeared as a representative Of the an
thracite miners and refrained in his reply from
mentioning the union.
that the commission proceed at once to the coal
fields in order that IL might be informed at the
outset as to the conditions there 1t was agreed
that Mr. Mitchell should file with the commits
sion next Monday a detailed statement OF the
claims of the miners The statement he read to-
day was preliminary statement OF the case
The representatives of the operators announced
that they would file answer TO the statement
10 be made by Mr. Mitchell Monday within
0Tr hat lima Tr
each side TO the controversy appoint an expert
10 go through the books of the coal companies
for the purpose OF securing data on which to
work but President Baer and other representa-
tives of the companies Immediately objected.
and suggested that they would furnish what
ever information is needed. This question pre-
ctpitated a long discussion. in which the coal
presidents and the miners representatives took
part
Preceding the discussion over opening the
hooks TO the experts Mr.. Baer said the operators
would be prepared to meet the miners in the
region and to assist in giving all information
MANY of the individual operators are not repre-
sented and they were not consulted and were
not compromised by the letter he had written
Judge Gray suggested that they could be rep
resented AT the meeting next Monday they
would determine which of the companies could
be taken up first. and the place Of meeting
could be determined by the location of the COM
pany-
WANT SEPARATE TREATMENT.
Mr.. Baer made point OF saying that the case
OF each company would be dealt with separately
He would contend for the sliding scale in the
regulation Of wages.
IT shall urge the adoption OF that profit shar-
ing PLAN he said. which gave us peace former