The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-15

reading the minutes. l do not kho"
neither it was or not.
O. Let me ask you about this resolu-
ton: "Resolutlon No 9. TO officers and
delegates in convention assembled.
Brothers-Whereas, we, the miners III the
vicinity of Nanticoke. having by past eX-
perenCe proven that the working cara
Or button is very little benefit to us III
it's present mode of working, there be it
resolved, that the L. NJ. w. of A. at any
Colliery where employees refuse to be-
come members of our organization and
wear the working button. the local gov
erning such colliery. after using all such
persuasive measures to get such EN-
ployes to join. and failing in such. have
full power to suspend operations at such
colliery until such employees become
members of our organization DO you
recall that resolution?
A. | recall that resolution, ana my re-
collection is that such resolution was
adopted. but | would not be sure without
re fnrrine to the minutes of the cOnven-
ton.
@. VIII you produce those minutes? A.
[ shall look them mp, sir; certainly. v.
Can you produce the original constltu-
ton of the United Mine Workers. and
ary changes which have been made A.
] shall try to secure 1t. l have not got
it here. IL | have it. it is at Indiana
polls.
@. Mr.. Mitchell, during the last strike.
there was considerable violence in the re-
gion, was there not?
A. There was some violence. TO what
extent, | am not fully informed.
Here Mr.. Wilcox read the proclama-
ton of Governor Stone, of October g,
when the whole division of the National
guard was called out, in which it is
Ia, lau raj
trains were being held up, men killed
and assaulted. ETC.
Mr.. Mitchell was asked If he had
read thar proclamation. He answered
in the affirmative.
q. In your letter to the president, OF
October 18th last, you stated that there
have been few crimes and number
if misdemeanors chargeable to those on
strike! You recall that, do you not? a.
Yes, sir. Q. Has anything ever been done
to discipline these people? A. I under
stand that where the miners We're guilty
of lawlessness, they have been arrested
and are under indictment. .. L mean, OF
course. has anything been done by your
organization? A. We have no means of
furnishing man who has committed a
crime except by expulsion from the
union We have no record that any man
United Mine Workers of America. Q,
What did you mean. then, by saying that
there had been crimes and misdemeanors
chargeable to those on strike2 A, Be
cause any amount of non-union men were
ON strike. Q. You think II VAS the non-
union men who got up this state of at
fairs? 4. | do not know, | think my
information is that it was not members
of our union. Q. What methods have you
taken TO inquire into the subject? A. The
examination of our books, as to amy serl-
ous crimes that have been committed,
fails to show that they were committed
by members of the union. Q, You have
not found a single one who was member
of the union? A. l have not investigated
all those charged with crimes. There
have been very few strikers arrested for
serious offenses. A large number of them
have been arrested for minor offenses, such
as picketing, or alleged boycotting but
none of them have been convicted of law
lessness. Q, You have not done any
thing about that then? A, We take the
position that the courts are the proper
persons 10 determine the innocence or
guilt of a person arrested and that until
the courts have determined thar, We have
no right to proceed against them. We
have in every way possible eadeavored ia
restrain our men from committing acts
of violence. Q. But there are no rules of
the association ON the subject, YOU say!
A. Our organiza ton has no rules govern
ing it, because few Of our members even
commit crime.
ally, / would like to ask whether YOU APP
proved of the methods pursued at the St
Bernard colliery. at Irvington, Kentucky
as reported in the Wood case, ll3 Federal
Reporter?
MIR. Darrow: Tell him what II is that