The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-04
Failure of subcommittee of Employ
crs and Representatives of Dig
gers to Reach Agreement.
JOHN MITCHELL'S STATEMENT
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO MEET AT
SCRANTON WEDNESDAY,
When the Question of Striking VIII
Be Voted On-Brief Interview with
Senator Hanna.

NEW YORK, May 8. - President John
Mitchell, of the United Mine Workers of
America, gave out the following statement
tonight regarding the secret conference
between his organization and the coal op-
orators:
1.-THE subcommittee of operators and min
ers selected by the industrial branch of
the National Civic Federation failed to
reach an agreement on any of the impOr
tant issues embodied in the miners scale
adopted by the Shamokin convention. The
executive committee Of the three anthra-
cite coal districts of the United Mine
Workers of America, in whom is invest
ed the authority to inaugurate a strike,
has been notified to assemble at Scran-
ton, Pa, at 10 a. m. Wednesday, May Z.
This committee consists of twenty-eght
members appointed from the three districts,
and should a majority of them vote in
favor of a strike the entire $4,000 mine
workers will Immediately respond to the
CALI
Mr. Mitchell was asked if he would say
what had occurred at the recent meet
ings between representatives of the miners
and the coal operators, and particularly
at the meetings of the subcommittee COM
posed of himself, District Presidents Fahey,
Nichols and Duffy, and President Trues-
dale, of the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western Railroad, Chairman Thomas, of
the Erie Coal Company and President
Baer, of the Jersey Central Railroad. He
replied that there was little TO tell, ex-
cept that the operators had refused to
grant any concessions whatsoever to the
men. They would not agree that wages
should be raised, that working hours should
be reduced or that coal should be weighed
at the pit mouth.
LOOKS THREATENING.
"It was suggested to Mr.. Mitchell that it
looked very much as if strike was i'm
minent
WELL" he replied, cit looks very threat
ening."
There are in the miners organization
about 147,OOO anthracite coal miners who
will be affected if a strike is declared.
There are also about 100000 soII coal miners,
many of whom belong TO the union and who
could be induced to join the anthracite min
ers should there be a strike. Whether that
will be done, and the bituminous as well as
anthracite coal trade tied up, Mr. Mitchell
said he could not say. Mr.. Mitchell will
stay in the city until next Tuesday and
then go TO Scranton.
Ralph NJ. Easley, secretary of the Ma
tional Civic Federation. was with President
After Mr. Mitchell had given out his state
ment TO the newspaper men he went to
the office of the National Civic Federation
and stayed there. while Mr.. Easley made
an attempt to reach Senator Hanna, chair
man of the Federation, who was said to be
in Philadelphia. Failing in reaching Sena-
tor Hanna. Mr.. Easley returned with Mr..
Mitchell to the Ashland House, where he
announced that he had wired the senator
the statement that President Mitchell had
given out. MIR. Easley said that he had
nothing TO say as to the future attitude Of
the Federation, now that the operators and
the men had failed TO agree
In speaking of this latter phase OF the
question, President Mitchell pointed out
that the National Civic Federation had ac-
cOmplished the object for which IL was
formed when il brought the employers and
the men together. The only other function
OF the Federation, said Mr. Mitchell is
10 arbitrate when asked 10 do so by both
parties 10 an agreement. / cannot say what
would be done by the United Mine Work.
ers and in any event the gooo Offices OF the
Federation TO arbitrate would not be asked
until after the executive committee OF the