The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1902-10-14
The supremacy of the Mine workers


union.
Concerning Wages
"'fhe coal companies believe that
the wages paid Ia the coal regions
are fair and full. and that All That the
buHinean IN It's normal condition hiss
been able 10 stand N the capital In
vested IN TO have any reasonable re-
turn The profits have been small.
several Of the companies have be-
come bsnkrupfs and been rearganiz-
ID several times. several have new
sr paid dividends. and the dividends
0f the others have been q small re-
turn for the capital Invested. II n
not, however. the purpose OF this
statement. 10 discuss this question.
The undersigned are not, nor
ever have been, un willing % submit
ali questions between them and their
workmen to any fair tribunal for de-
cisiOn They are not willing 10 en-
ter into arbitration with the union
miners, q union composed OF men ~
rival and competitive interest, and
they are not willing to make any ar
rangamcnfn which viii not secure 10
the men now working. and all now
or hereafter wishing to work. wheth :
er they belong 10 the Mine Workers
union or not, the right and oppOr-
tunify 80 work IN safety OF Without
personal Insult or bodily harm 10
themselves or their families. For
these reasons the arbiffatioas here
tofore proposed have been declined.
Their Former Offer
1T win be remembered that AZ
the conference In Washington. Oct
3. we made the following offer. That
We would take up at each eoitery
any alleged grieye nee. and IN the
- N.aF n mrflMf4F-
tory adjustment. the qifeeiione az Is
cue to be submitted 70 the final de-
cislOn of the Judges Of the court OF
common pleas Of the district To- which
the coiilcry IL located. This orer
was made by US In good faith. and
we desire here 20 r~affirm ".
Coal Is Needed
e srhe coal companies realize that
the urgent public need Of coal and
the apprehension ~ an inadequate
supply for the approaching winter
calls for an earnest effort To reach
n practical conclusion which VIII re-
suit Ia an increased supply. and the
presidents OF the companies desire
10 make every effort 90 that end
which does not involve the abandon
ment Of the interests committed %
their care. ana Of the men who are
working and seeking to work IA
their mines. This responsibility
they must bear and meet as beet
they can.
. They therefore re-Etsts their po-
sitiOn: That they are not discrim-
mating aRainEf the union mine work
efs, bat insist the miners union
shall not discriminate against or re-
fuae 10 work with non union men
that there shall be no restriction or
deterioration In quantity or quality
Of work, and that owing to the vary
ing physical conditions OF the an
ihraclt. mines each eoilieTy "a a
problem hy itself.
Propose . Commission
I'VE suggest a commission 10 be
appointed 10y the president OF the
United States III he IL willing 20 per
form that public Eeryice) 90 whom
shall be referred all questions at is
sue between the respective compan-
les and their employees. whether
they belong 10 union or not. and
the decision ~ that commission shall
be accepted by us. The commission
TO be constituted az follows;
= 'First-An officer In the engineer
corps Of either the military or naval
service OF tint United States.
. second-An expert mining en-
gineer. experienced I'm the mining OF
coal and other minerals. and IN no
way connected with the coal mining
properties. either anthracite or BIZ
luminous.
:" 'Thlrd--Ons OF the Judges of the
United States court of the eastern
diesrict OF Pennsylvania
=" Fuurfh--A man nf prominence
eminent as n socioIogift.