The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-31
COMMISSION WILL HEAR THEIR
SIDE FIRST.
BAER MUCH IN EVIDENCE
Objects to Appearance Of Mitchell as
Representative Of Mine
Workers Union.

Washington, Oct. 27.--The anthra-
cite coal strike commission met at 2
O'Clock this afternoon in the hearing
room of the interstate commerce COM
mission. All the members were pres
emit. ..
Mr.. Mitchell, president of the Unit
ed Mine Workers, and District Presi-
dent ,Yahey appeared for the miners
and the coal carrying railroads were
represented as follows:
President Baer of the Philadelphia
& Reading, e. E. Thomas, chairman
Of the board of directors Of the Penn
sylvania Coal company and the Hills
dale Coal & Iron company; Alfred
Walter, president of the Lehigh Val
ley; w. II. Truesdale, president of the
Delaware, Lackawanna & WESTERN;
David Wilcox, vice-president CT the
Delaware & Hudson; J. B. Herr, vice
president of the Scranton Coal COM
pany and the Elk Hill Coal & Iron
company; ]. H. Torrey, attorney for
the Delaware & Hudson, and Francis
L. Gowan, attorney for the Lehigh
Valley company.
Judge Gray, the president of the
commission, read the order of the
president creating the commission
and in a general way, outlined the
procedure to be followed for the
presentation of the issues. He stat
ed that in accordance with the i'm
memorial practice among English
speaking peoples, the commission
would first receive the statement or
demands of the miners, who were
to be regarded for the purposes of
this case, as the prosecutors. The re-
ply of the other side would then be
heard, Judge Gray said, in order that
the commission might have before
it a definite issue.
At the conclusion of Judge Gray's
remarks, President Mitchell stated
that he had with him the formal de-
mands made by the miners upon the
operators and at the suggestion of
Judge Gray he read the statement CT
the miners demands adopted by the
Shamokin convention, the rejection of
which resulted in the strike. Walter
Edward Weyl was also present as a
representative of the miners.
The hearing room was crowded with
people interested in the case and
spectators. President Baer objected
to the appearance of Mr.. Mitchell as a
representative of the United Mine
Workers Of America, but said he had
no objection to offer against MI.
Mitchell's appearance as a repre-
sentative of the anthracite coal min
ers generally.
Mr.. Baer's object was to avoid the
recognition of the mine workers I'M
ion as an order.
MI. Mitchell replied that the objec-
tions raised as to his status were not
involved in the case. He said that
he did appear as a representative of
the anthracite coal miners and dis
tinctly refrained in his reply from
mentioning the union.
Presidents Baer and Thomas sug-
gested to the commission that it i'm
mediately proceed to the coal fields
in order that it might be informed at
the outset as to conditions there.
1t was suggested that each side to
the controversy present an expert to
go through the ccal company's books
for the purpose Of securing data upon
which to work, but President Baer
and other representatives of the COM
panies objected, and suggested that
they would furnish whatever informa-
ton was desired. A long discussion
followed in which the presidents and
miners representatives took part.
The commission decided to begin
it's investigation of the conditions in
the anthracite fields on Thursday of
this week, commencing with District
No. l, in which Scranton is located.