The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-12
BAER IS BITTER
members of the organization.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

&C me members of the organization.
Subsequently,, to-wit: on May u, the
| United Mineworkers of America inaug-
| urated strike, and by threats and in
timidation caused a suspension of work
at all mines Under date of May q they
issued a formal Official order requiring
all pump men, fremen and engineers TO
desert their posts of duty with intent TO
] force submission to their unjust de-
! rIands by the destruction of the mines.
BY threats and violence they tried TO
prevent other men from taking the place
OF the hremen, pump men and engineers.
The said United Mineworkers Of Amer
ica well knew that if this company did
rot succeed in keeping the pumps go
irg. the mines would be greatly injured
that il would be impossible to mine coal
for many months after the strike end
ed. and that by reason thereof the work
men Of the anthracite fields would be
deprived Of employment and the pub
lie be made to suffer untold hardships
be cause of the inability to procure fuel.
Force and Violence Used
I'm obedience to the power expressly
gwen by its Shamokin convention-to
suspend operations at such collieries IN
ii. such employees became members of
the organization-aH manner Of force
and violence was used to prevent pump
ing of the mines to save them fromde
struction and to prevent non-union men
from working. The situation is well de-
scribed in the proclamation of the gov
ernor Of the state of Pennsylvania, to
which we beg TO refer as part OF this
al swer. This company ayers that these
acts Of Intimidation to person. injury
tc person and property, and disturb
aace of the public peace, were cantrary
to the law of the and. This company,
further answering. AYERS that the juris
diction IS limited TO the conditions named
in the statement of the coal company
presidents by virtue of which the COM
mission was appointed, and that by ex-
press terms. as well as by necessary i'm
plication, the investigation is confined to
matters affecting its employees, and pre-
cludes the United NIineworkers of Amer
lea from any part or recognition in the
proceedings, recommendations ar de-
cisions Of this commission.
Further answering. it says that if.
and when a labor organization limited
to workers in anthracite mines is ere
ated, which shall obey the laws of the
land, respect the right Of every man to
work, whether he belongs to a Union
or not and shall honestly cooperate
with the employers in securing good
work. efficiency, fair production and nee
essary discipline, trade agreements may
become practicable
And further answering. the company
says it does not and will not discrimi-
nate against workmen belonging to the
United Mineworkers OF America or any
other labor organization. so long as
they perform satisfactory work and be-
have as law abiding people should; but
that the company win at all times en-
ploy any person it sees fit. and viii not
permit any labor organization to limit
the right of employment to the mem
bers of its organization.
Respectfully submitted:
THE PHILADELPHIA AND READING
COAL AND IRON COMPANY. by
GEO. F. BAER, President.
JOHN F. WHALEN.
IS P WOLVERTON, Counsel
S. P. WOLvERTON. Counsel"