The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-20
The United Mine Workers and the
Federal Courts.

1t il interesting 10 obs erve that some
Of our contemporaries are becoming
alive to the dangers which may result
from the Presidential recognition of the
assumptions of such persons as Mr.. JoHN
MITCHELL, the leader of the United Mine
Workers Of America We are pleased TO
find in the ErCnng Post these very sem
sible remarks on this subject:
That labor leaders should grow drunk with
power Ike other mon. Is no, surprising. The sur
pri,ing thing would be II the intoxicating draugh,s
which have recently been held TO thrir lips had no
effect IN helgh,erlng their arrogance and making
their demands NOR eX'ravazant. Thcy hl~ been
vecoeni.,d and rdn,red bv our Chtr NJ state. They
have been treated almost a. u they were co6tdi-
nate branch OF the National Government No
wonder then. that n have set UP as AZ least an
Emporium IN irnpr1o. with separate laws Of their
own. oftcn conflicting with the law Of the land,
with an allie glance to u labor union ranking above
that TO the state. and with an acceleratlng rcck
iessnes and folly dsp aged In turning the hand
OF labor agans, the 1and OF every independent
citizen and agains, tn hes, interests o: society
as whole"
II does not seem to be generally
known that the organization Of which
Mr. MITCHELL is the head, and which he
insists was recognized by the President
in the conferences which resulted in the
appointment of the anthracite Strike
Commission, has been declared bv the
Federal courts TO be band of con-
spirators.
In March last the Circuit Court Of the
United States for the Western District
Of Virginia adiudged two men. named
WEBER and HADDow. to be guilty Of
contempt for violating certain orders of
the court made in the case of the Nor
ton Trust Company against the Virginia
Iron, Coal and Coke Company. In the
course of the opinion delivered in this
contempt proceeding it was declared
to be ha rdly open to serious quest ion
that the ultimate purpose Of the organi-
zation known as the United Mine Work.
ers Of America was illegal. The purpose
Of the union was stated to be to secure
control of the mining operations, such
control being desired for this purpose:
If the union miners in some other State
IHdhe Coinpldiilt OF grievance the JUST
ness Of the complaint 10 be judged solely
by the union-thc union will be in a posi-
ton to enforce compliance with their
demands by ordering and carrying into
effect a general strike"
In another part of the opinion we find
the following clear statement of the I'M
lawful character of the organization:
To go further. IL appears from the evidence
that, In order TO perfect the control desired by the
union, II Is necessary that practically all mine
workers be members of the organization and sub.
jcct TO rs directions In other words It Is ucccs.
sary tina, non union men mcn who do not desire
TO join the union b" compelled TO quit work This
Is one OF the avowcd means 70 the desired end
THAT fhfs IS CIrdai and 10 be t0isred need, no
aroumcn' Hence. even II n were conceded that
the ultimate purpose is legal yet. as means In
tended 10 be used To effect the ultimate purpose
Is Illegal It follows that a combination to ciec, the
purposes of the union II conspiracy"
In SO far, therefore, as the President
has recognized MITCHELL AZ the head of
the United Mine Workers of America the
Chief Magistrate of the United States
has sanctioned the existence and pur-
poses of an organization which a court
of the United States has condemned in
the most solemn manner for being en-
gagged in an unlawful conspiracy.