Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-11-01

| START WORK
Strike Commission to Investigate
Mines and Homes of Men.
BAER OBJECTS TO MITCHELL

Furnish Full Data-Commission VIII
Net Accept Special Train Offered
Them BY Presidents of Coal Roads.
Washington, Oct 2S.-The anthra-
cite coal strike commission yesterday.
IN the hearing room of the interstate
commerce commission, held its first
conference with the parties to the con-
froversy in the anthracite regions. The
commission occupied the elevated
seats, Judge Gray, as president, occu-
plying the center seat, and Messrs.
Wright, Watkins and Clark the seats
10 the right of him IN the order named,
while General Wilson. Bishop Spald-
ting and Mr.. Parker sat on the left in
khe order of their names. The pro-
eeedings covered about two hours
Iime and were given up entirely to a
discussion of the time aud method of
proceeding with the proposed investi-
Syation.
Mr.. Mitchell, president Of the United
Mine Workers of America, and Dis
lrict President Fahey appeared for
Ihe miners, and the coal CARRYING
roads were represented as follows:
President Baer, of the Reading; E. B.
Thomas, OF the Pennsylvania Coal
company; Alfred Walter, OF the Le-
Sigh Valley; W. H. Truesdale. of the
delaware, Lackawanna and Western;
David Wilcox, of the Delaware and
tIudsou; John B. Herr. OF the Scran.
on Coal Company; ]. H. Torrey, at
N,rney for the Delaware and Hudson,
/ nd Francis l. Gowan, attorney for the
/ .ehigh Valley Company.
To Begin Its Work at Scranton.
The commission decided to be-
Tin its work Thursday morning at 2
o'clock, the first days OF the investiga-
ion to be devoted to an examination
u the mines and the homes OF the
liners, starting In the vicinity OF
icranton- The entire anthracite field
}vill be covered. There was consider
l,ble discussion over q proposition
made by the commission to have ex-
pert accountants appointed to audit
placements OF wages and classification
IF miners to be made by the operators
or the use OF the commission, but no
result was reached on this point be-
Sond the announcement by the chair
lnan OF the commissions intention TO
hppoint such an accountant in case his
services should be found necessary.
During the progress of the meeting.
Mr.. Mitchell, as the representative of
the miners, presented a copy of the
original declaration of the miners as
formulated by the Shamokin conven-
ton, as the basis of the demands OF
the miners. This demand Is for an
Increase Of 20 per cent IN wages OF
those not engaged by the day, a re-
duction OF 20 per cent In working
hours Of those engaged by the day:
the payment for coal mined by weight
at minimum rate OF 60 cents per ton
or z,240 pounds; a wage agreement be-
tween the operators and the miners for
an adjustment OF wages.
6aer objects to Mitchell.
Mr.. Baer. on the part of the coal OBJ
orators, took exception to Mr.. Mitch
ellis appearance before the commits
sion as representative Of the Mine
Workers Union. but said that he had
| no objection to his presence as a rep
resentative Of the strikers as such I'm
their individual capacity. The COM
mission made no attempt to settle the
controversy, but it was made apparent
that the recognition OF the Miners
Union will be an important and knotty
problem for the arbitrators.
Preceding the discussion over open-
Ing the books to the experts, Mr..
Baer said the operators would be pre-
pared to meet the miners in the region
and to assist in giving all information.
Many OF the individual operators are
not represented, and they were not
consulted and were not compromised
by the letter he had written.
Judge Gray suggested that they
could be represented. At the meeting
next Monday they would determine
which OF the companies would be
taken up first, and the place of meet
ing could be determined by the loca-
ton OF the. coal company taken up.
Mr.. Baer made point of saving that
If the case Of each coal company
would be dealt with separately he
would contend for the sliding scale in
the regulation Of wages.
Il shall urge the adoption of that
profit-sharing plan," he said, which
gave us peace formerly in our relation
to our employees"
Mr.. Thomas. OF the Hillside Iron and
Coal and the Pennsylvania Coal Com
pany. said he noticed that the word
arbitration" had been applied 10 the
commissions work, while he wanted
It considered as an investigation.
Judge Gray said the presidents In
struction settled that as an arbitrs-
ton.
The question OF the examination
by the commission into the conditions
under which the mining OF anthracite
coal is conducted was then entered on.
and Mr.. Watkins. Of the commission
suggested that a week or ten days
time would be necessary in order to
make an adequate examination OF the
physical conditions about the mines