The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-15
GOMPERS DOES
 NOT FAVOR PLAN Thinks Entire Matter Should be
 Left to President ASKS HARD QUESTIONS Says a Mining Expert Not Interested
Says a Mining Expert Not Interested In Coal Mining Would Necessa- riIy Be Man Out of Job.
 Discusses Soclologist.

Washington, October IA. = President Gompers of the Federation of Labor, with whom MT. Mitchell has been in constant communication and consultation tonight stated his views to the Associated Press. Mir Gompers said:
 You can readily understand that l want to leave this whole matter in the hands of MT, Mitchell and his colleagues. I am particularly anxious not to say any thing that might be construed otherwise. l will say that in my opinion the propo- sition made by the presidents, q. least so far as their designation of who should be invited to go on the commission of arbitration Is concerned, is an Insult to the President of the United States.
 T desire that the President should use his discretion in the selection of the per- sonnel of the commission. By indirection it would seem from the operators propo- sition that the President has evil designs on the mine owners. No one believes this.
 "The operators indicate what class of men should be selected for the personnel of the commission. For instance they say an expert mining engineer, experienced in the mining of coal and other minerals, and not in any way connected with coal mining properties, shall be one of the members.
 Expert Miner Out of a Job.
 Tn other words. this o1ss must be an expert miner out of job This member must either have been eI ployed in the mines as an expert or must expect or hope to be employed in the future as an expert. Another must be an eminent sociologist. Well, who? Must he be a speculative sociologist, a theorist or what? Another member is to be some man actively participating in the mining and selling of coal and familiar with the commercial as well as the physical part of the business. This must certainly be one of the operators or one of their rep resentatives. No man familiar with the commercial features of the business in those fields fits that description.
 In the classes of persons from whom the mine owners prescribe the commits sion shall be selected there is to be not a single representative of the man who digs coal the man who works in and about the mine.
 Should Leave All to President.
 Now, as a matter of fact the entire question of selection and appointment of commission should be left to the Pres ident of the United States. MT. Mitchell has said that he will be perfectly satis- fled with whoever the President selects. If the mine owners are to be permitted to suggest who shall constitute the arbitra- tion commission. why in all fairness, should 1t not follow that MT. Mitchell should likewise be permitted to make suggestions as to the personnel of the commission. I hope the President will decline to act on this proposition of the mine owners, unless he is given a free hand"
 Silence at White House.
 Washington, Oc-ober H.-All efforts to ascertain at the White House tonight whether President Roosevelt has com municated with President Mitchell the proposition of the mine operators with a view to the resumption of work were un- availing. The officials there decline to say anything on the subject at this time for publication The impression Is quite general however in Washington tonight that MT Roosevelt, in continuation of his determination to bring about if possible the resumption of work has addressed some sort of communication to MT. Mitchell in connection with the oper- ators proposition and that reply from nm may cOine dt any LlilS.
 Could Resume In a Week.
 Scranton, Pa, october A-The super intendents of the local mining companies say that so far as this region is con cerned the majority of the mines could be worked to their fullest capacity with in week after the strike Is off. After all, the mines with one of two excep- tions have been kept free of water and gas, and inside of ten days could be in full operation. One of the exceptions is the Hallstead colliery of the Delaware and Hudson company at Duryea, at which pumping operations were abandon ed This mine was nearly worked out and will probably never be reopened
 Detroit Committee HaIts.
 Detroit, October 14.-Mayor Mabury an- nounced today that. owing to the fact that settlement of the coal strike seems near at hand and also because two mem bers of the committee could not go, the committee of five appointed to take the resolutions adopted at the interstate coal conference here last Thursday to PrSsi- dent Roosevelt will not make the trip to Washington.