Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-16
MITCHELL AGAIN IN BOX
Attorney for Operators Asks the Labor
Leader Many Questions,
JUDGE GRAY ALSO SEEKS IMPORTATION
witness says He Regards six Hun
drcd Dollars n Year the we
Proper Living wage for
Miners.

ers' union, occupied the stand throughout
both sessions Of the coal strike commission
today. For four hours and a half he took
the cross-fre of two brilliant attorneys for
the coal companies and ended the day with
few scars as a result of the battle. David
Wilcox Of New York, general counsel for
the Delaware & Hudson company, and
Wayne MacVeagh OF Philadelphia, who is
representing the Pennsylvania Coal COM
pany and the Hillside Coal G. Iron company,
were the principal questioners.
The afternoon session was the more in
teresting. Mr. Maeyeagh's cross examina-
ton was as a rule. very keen, and while
he assured Mr. Mitchell that hi was not
radically opposed to him, he did not miss
an opportunity to place his reasons for
demanding better conditions, in the anthra-
cite field in a bad light.
After going over the demands of the
miners, Mr.. MacVeagh took up the condi-
tions existing in and about the collieries
and tried to show that the conditions
spoken Of by Mr.. Mitchell were not borne
out by Investigation. He took Forest CITY.
as an example and produced photographs
Of houses in the town, and referred to large
deposits in the local bank, to show the
prosperous condition Of the community. Mr..
Mitchell, although not admitting that the
conditions as presented by Mr.. MacVeaeh
were true, said he could not, for lack Of
familiarity with the community, deny his
assertions.
ArbitratOrs work Long Hours.
Mr.. MacVesgh also contended that no one
had the rights to deny a man the privilege
OF working more than eight hours a day
II he so desired. He said not one member
of the commission would be occupying his
present place If he had limited his own
labors to that extent, but Mr.. Mitchell
did not think 1t fair to compare mine work.
ers with the arbitrator.
To the direct question as to whether he,
as president Of the union, had a right to
curtail the hours Of employment, Mr.. Nit
chell said he thought he had, and explained
that IL one miner worked more than eight
hours 1t would probably result in the rest
being compelled to work the same length Of
time.
Mr.. MacVeagh declared that there was
nothing in Mr.. Mitchell's suggestions def
nttely calling on the companies to enter
into partnership with the United Mine
Workers, and inquired IL that was one Of
the demands.
Mr.. Mitchell said It was. whereupon Mr..
MacVeagh said his company was endeavor-
ing to ascertain and would continue TO as
certain what reasons there were for at
tempting to compel them to enter into that
agreement.
Immediately after the opening Of the
morning session Judge Gray announced the
commissions decision with regard to the
position Of nonunion men.
Commission Decides a Point.
His honor said:
The commission has considered the matter
or your application and have decided that
1t will ask you to submit to them a state
ment showing whom you represent, by what
authority, what points other than those al
ready at issue between the formal parties
TO this cont oversy you WISH TO iuject into
this hearing and a concise statement Of
what you claim, what your position is in re-
the formal and logical parties to this COM
mission and also state that you guaranty
Submission to award Of this commission.
Mr.. Lenahan asked: How soon must
this be done?'
AS soon as you can" replied Judge Gray.
After Judge Gray's announcement to the
attorneys for the nonunion men Mr.. Will
cox resumed his cross-examination of Mr..
Mitchell.
Answering a question Mr.. Mitchell said
the local unions or mass meetings could
direct the operation of pickets. Mr.. Will
cox read from a statement made by
the president of the Federation of
Labor at the Chicago trust confer
encs in September. 1899, in which Mr.. Com
pers is alleged to have said that any trust
legislation which did not specially exempt
organized labor from its operations would
meet the unquestioned opposition OF all the
labor forces, and asked the witness IL that
expressed his views.
Mr.. Mitchell replied that organized labor
would not look with favor upon any law
that would legislate it out of business.
In reply to further questions he said he
regarded 5000 the annual amount necessary
to cover a miners legitimate expenses and
allow him to properly educate his children.
At this point Judge Gray asked il he
meant to say he regarded not less than
5000 a year would be a sufficient wage to
permit miners children to avail themselves
Of the public schools and permit the family
to spend a portion of its income and still
not make 1t necessary TO resort to child
labor.
Mr.. Mitchell said he did.
On the question OF the minimum age at
which a boy should go to the breaker, Mr..
Mitchell said he advocated that Il be put
at IA years.
Mr.. Wilcox examined Mr.. Mitchell at
some length regarding the various demands
Of the miners.
do you know the wages that are paid
are about $50. 900 .OOO?'' Mr.. Wilcox asked.
~ have read that statement" the wit
ness answered.
Don't you or your committees know
it," inquired Mr.. Wilcox.
mo, sir, We don't responded Mr..
Mitchell.
This is a demand Of s13.O 900, 900 Increase
in the cost Of production" said Mr.. Will
COX.
o that calculation, yes.' replied the
witness, that would be about ~ or 10
cents a tom
In reply to another question witness said
II the miners had known at the outset that
the differences would go to a board Of ar.
bitration they would have asked for more,
so that while the arbitrator were settling
the question they would settle it perma-
nently.
Denies Restricting Output.
He denied that his organization restricted
the quantity Of work a man might perform,
but said Il did believe in regulating hours.
Judge Gray asked: II blast and throw
down enough coal to keep three laborers
busy loading, and you only throw down
enough to employ two, am / not to be al
lowed to employ the third laborer?"