The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-10-30
HAS ORGANIZED.
COAL STRIKE COMMISSION READY
FOR BUSINESS.
Called on President to Receive In
structions, Then Met and Elected
Judge Gray observation-disclosures
Wright to Have Two Assistants
to Expedite Matters.

Washington, Oct. 25.-The members
of the strike arbitration commission
appointed by President Roosevelt met
at the White House shortly after 10
o'clock and went into conference with
the president. Several of the members
had never before met. The introduce
tions were made in Secretary Cortel-
you's office, and Immediately thereafter
the commission assembled the stairs to
the presidents reception room.
The president greeted the members
of the commission cordially. The in
terview was brief, lasting scarcely
twenty minutes. The work to be done
by the commission was formally dis
cussed. The president impressed upon
the commission the Importance of ex-
petition. and informed them that he
had decided to appoint two assistants to
the recorder to facilitate the work. He
then presented to them their instruc-
tions, as follows:
"White House,
Washington, Oct. "a, 1902.
"To the Anthracite Coal Strike Com.
mission:
"Gentlemen-At the request of the
operators and of the miners, l have APP
pointed you commission to inquire
into, consider and pass upon the ques-
tions in controversy in connection with
the strike in the anthracite region and
Al of x,,L,nh thn
arose. By the action you recommend,
which the parties in interest have in
advance consented to abide by, you will
endeavor to establish the relations be-
tween the employers and the wage
earners in the anthracite fields on
just and permanent basis, and as far as
possible to do away with any causes for
the reoccurrence of such dicffiulties as
those which you have been called on to
settle. 1 submit to you herewith the
published statement of the operators,
following which l named you as the
members of the commission, Mr..
Wright being named as recorder; also
the letter from Mr.. Mitchell. l ap-
point Mr.. Moseley and Mr.. Neil as as
sistants to the recorder. (Signed)
Theodore Roosevelt"
With the instructions were the state
ments of the operators. The members
of the commission withdrew in a body.
When they left the White House they
declined to comment upon their inter-
view. They went direct to the office of
Commissioner of Labor Wright, to or
ganize and prepare for their work.
The commission went into executive
session at Col. Wright's Office at IL
o'clock. Judge Gray was chosen chair
man.
The presiding officer is to be officially
called the president of the commission.
The commission then went into execu-
tive session, for the purpose of consider
ing the minor details which confront
them at the beginning of their duties.
Edward A. Mosely, who becomes an
assistant to Recorder Wright, by direc-
ton of the president, is secretary of the
interstate commerce commission.
DIR. Neil, the other assistant recorder,
is the professor of political economy at
the Catholic university, located near
Washington. The commission was in
vited to lunch with the president at
80.
The commission adjourned at 12:45
o'clock to meet again next Monday at 2
o'clock.
After the adjournment the announce
ment was made that only two conclu-
sions were reached. The first of these
was to admit the public to all formal
meetings of the commission, and the
second to notify the parties to the con-
troversy to be present at the meeting on
Monday, for the purpose of arranging a
time for hearings which will be conven-
lent for all concerned. Notices were
accordingly sent to the mine operators
and to President Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers, asking them to be in
attendance next Monday.
1t was stated that most of the time
of the meeting was taken up with a
discussion as to the time when hearings
shall be held, the result of which was
the conclusion to call on the people
interested before reaching a decision.
The commission has already adopted
an official name, and has had its print
ing prepared, designating it as the An
thracite Coal and Strike Commission.
Yerkes Gets 1t All.
IOndon Oct 25-The committee of