The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-09

WILKESEAREE. Pa June 3--Presl- (
dent Mitchell. OF tie United Mine Work /
e-s. lect here At l1-g5 O'Clock mis- morn (
Ing for NsW York where he says he VIII /
meet Carroll d Wright, ConnissioneT I
Of Labor. at the Hotel 81 .rHattan at :
O'Clock this evening President Rose (
welt, who has been aDg2ai@d to to end
the coaI strike. had q conference with
Senator Hanna yesterday Later he
sent fer Mr. Wright and asked him what
might properly be done 10 end the con
troversv.
BIZ. Mitchell would say nothing fur
ther regarding the coming conference
than that be expected to meet Mr.
Wright 1t is known here thar Wright
meets Mitchell as the Presidents rep
rese1tat5ve. The operators here say
they know nothing Of 5Ee matter and DO
not expect that the conference viii re
suit in any settlement. Before leaving
n. Mitchell SAID ne would be back in
the morning
A local strike leader said: 81 do not
speak officially. butI believe Mr. sIitch-
ell is to meet Ir- Wright merely so as
to info-a him of the situation and to
present ser t1z Presidents beuedt the
minc workers side OF the dispute
Mr. Mitchell has deferred issuing his
expected statement en- the situation in
the West Virginia and Virginia coal
fields
Mr. Wright n Lew York.
NEW YORK. June e.-Carrou D.
Wright. the United States Commission
CT of Labor. who was delegated yester-
day by the President at the White House
TO investigate the coal strike, IS IN this
city nov. He said today IN regard TO his
mission here:
7 came here in part 20 begin my in
vesJIgatiOn OF the coal STRIFE and also
because 7 had to meet number OF the
men OF my department TO consult with
them on other matters The coal strike
viii receive much of my attention, how
ever. and I viii 80 to the coal regions
10 pursue my investiga cations.
I went TO Washington II response to
the desire Of the President. who wants
all the information that can be got
about The strike. The newspapers and
public already have a good deal Of in
formation On the subject, but there are
other things in regard to il that are as
yet unknown 70 the public and the
newspapers. The President knows Of
the existence Of these things, and am
going TO ind out all about them
know the lines TO work on
President Wants Information
1T must be understood that act as
an Investigator and not as an arbi-
traitor. The President wants TO know
all. and ne wants the public TO know
ali
The entire situation. so far as the
Federal Government IS concerned. is
summed up IN the following facts: On
October /, 1888. very crude law was
passed by Congress for the adjustment
Of interstate labor difficulties. Under
that law the President was authorized
to appoint q commission Of three, of
which the United States Commissioner
OF Labor was ex-ofFicio member This
committee was TO be appointed at the
request Of either party in the diff
Guilty. The commission was designed to
investigate the causes OF, and all facts
relating 20. an interstate strike. and re-
port 10 the President.
The President could arbltrate If the
parties CT the strike agreed. This law
was called into effect only once That
was at Chicago in 1898 in the case Of the
Pullman strike after the strike was
over This law was found to be imprac-
ticable and Congress repealed this act
OF June /, 1888. Il then enacted another
law yroviding for the adjustment of dit-
fcUIties between common carriers N
interstate commerce and the employees
Of these carriers. Under the law, when
either party to the controversy applies
TO the chairman OF the interstate com
nnerce commission and the Commissioner
OF Labo- they must try 60 adjust the
difficulties by Cancellation Failing IN
this. the parties to the strike may. un-
der this new law, appoint a board OF ar
bitration II they can agree This is an
act that is purely voluntary.
President Cannot Act
IN this strike some expected the
President to act He cannot do i L He
has 10 authority under the law. The
President Is extremely anxious TO hare
all done that can be done to settle the
strike and to give TO the public all pos
sible official information on the subject
Ny mission Is to ascertain the facts re-
lating 10 the causes OF the strike and
the present conditions accompanying it,
am particularly charged by the Law
creating re Department Of Labor 10
investigate the causes and ali facts re-
Iating 70 all controversies and disputes
between employers and employees as
they may occur which VIII tend 10 in
tezfere with the welfare OF the people
CT The different States. The law also
makes it obligatory upon ne 10 make
speciot reports on particular subjects
whenever requested TO do so by The
President OF either branch OF Congress
It was under these provisions that the
President requested me TO secure such
lnloTn1a tiCn as TO the origin and general
history o. the present strike as may
SIS