The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-15
PRESIDENT OF MINE WORKERS UNION ABLY HELD HIS OWN.

ors charseaDle to those on strike You reco
lect that, don't you?'
| Yes, sir was the response.
Has anything been done to disciplin
| those people?'
Il understand that where the miner
We're guilty of iawlessness they have bee
arrested and are under Indictment"
Il mean anything been done by your or
! ganization?'
I'VE have no method of furnishing ma
| who has committed a crime except expul
! sion from the union. We have no recor
that any man who has been arrested is
| member of the United Mine Workers o
America
You said there were crimes and n.sde
| meanors chargeable to those on strike"
Because there We're any amount OF non
union men on strike"
You think it was the nonunion mer
who got up this state of affairs?' WAS Mr.
Willcoxs next query.
NOT UNION MEN.
Mr., Mitchell responded by saying that his
information was that it was not members
OF the union.
Continuing, Mr.. Wilcox asked what meth
cd was taken to inquire into the subject tc
which Mr.. Mitchell responded by saying
that an examination Of the unions books
of crimes committed failed to show the
connection of any union man with them.
We take the position that courts are
established to determine the innocence or
guilt of any one arrested, and until then
We have no right to proceed against him.
We have in every possible way tried to Gis-
suade our men from committing acts OF yio-
lence"
There are no rules on the subject ~
asked Mr.. Wilcox.
Our organization has no rules governing
the subject was the witnesses response,
because few Of our members ever commit
crimes
Mr. Wilcox asked If Mr. Mitchell ap-
proved of the methods of the miners during
a strike in Hopkins County. kentucky, but
Mr. Mitchell insisted that he knew of no
lawlessness committed by the union men.
The strikers, he said, had been put out of
the company's houses, and the union had
hired ground and bought tents and kept the
men in them until the company, through
process of law, had the tents taken away
and the men arrested.
He had, he said. sanctioned this strike,
and. not having met with much success,
called it of. Mr.. Wilcox cited another
case which had been decided by Judges
Simonton and Mcdowell. whereupon Mr..
Darrow. for the miners, objected
COAfPLIMENTED MITCHELL
Judge Gray, In passing on the question
said that Mr.. Mitchell seemed very cornpe-
tent to take care Of himself, and that he
was familiar with the case
The limitations to be put upon the giving
Of testimony, he said, must, in view of the
very nature Of the commission, be pre-
scribed largely by counsel themselves.
Mr.. Mitchell then went on and stated that
the two men who were sent to prison for
a restraining order were par
1oned by the President. He insisted that
ne approved of any organizer holding meet
ngs in public halls. doing that which, under
he law. he had right to do.
We deny that the courts have any rea-
'on to restrain members of iaboring unions"
'aid Mr.. Mitchell with considerable en-
phasis. from doing anything that Is law
'ul. We have had people sent to prison for
loldfng meetings on ground held by US by
ease"
He mentioned the action Of Judge jackson
n West Virginia in sending men to jail.
INJUNCTION QUESTION
Mr. Wilcox. with some sarcasm. inquired:
Have you ever known of an Injunction
'eing granted against your order which
ou thought was proper?"
There have been." said Mr.. Mitchell.
provisions Of injunctions restraining our
eopie from violating the law that were
roper. Our only objection to the injunc-
lon was because 1t restrained us from do
,g things We had legal right to do. 1t |
far-reaching enough to restrain and pun
IN those who violate the law"
SUBJECT OF BOYCOTTS.
The subject of boycotting occupied the |
ttention OF the commission for the last |
alf hour of the session. Mr.. Wilcox read
rom mass Of data which he had COM
lied Judge Gray, who had been closely
ollowing Mr.. Wilcox through his exami-
alton. and who had been waiting for a
irect question to the witness. with some
npadence. took the witness in hand.
Excuse me-" said he. there is no ques-
on about the right Of 4 man to deal with
HON he pleases. What the commission
ould like to know is, more directly.
neither your organization, or you, as their
approved of using the boy
,tt as weapon to the extent outlined In
le resolution read while ago; that where
hat you call "scab" laborer is in Ques-
on all persons. provision dealers, those
no furnish the necessities OF life. are
armed to refrain from furnishing such
scessities to the so-called ''scab" laborers
their families. to the gain of the members
your union
Il should say. Mr.. Chairman responded
T. Mitchell. that the union as such has
ot sanctioned any such action on the part
ats members"
Judge Gray: DO they encourage itY'
Mr.. Mitchell: They do not There are
mes during great excitement, such as Ire-
lils In a strike. that members and local
hons In mass meeting may feel justified
advising their friends and brother mem
RS not to purchase from a storekeeper
no supplies goods to a nonunion man.
That Is not the question:" said Judge
ray. What We would like you to state
whether you justify the attempted with
the necessaries OF life. Of the things
{ which men live, and which are, there
re, their nfe?''
4 should say. emphatically, no." retorted
r. Mitchell.
Judge Gray: THAT was the purpose Of
cted the question to be brought down to
at, and as. this is for the Information Of
commission. thought 1t worth while
The commission, at o'clock, adjourned /
III 10 O'Clock tomorrow morning. with ,
I. Mitchell still on the stand.
Mr Mitchell, before taking the witness
and IN the forenoon, presented the miners
de OF the case in a 6000-wurd statement. !
TOOK forty minutes to read his address,
q ne was listened to by the Commission
and the operators with the closest at
Ills statement is in part as follows:
!. HOPES FOR PEACE ,
4r. Mitchell prefaced his stateu,ert with the
g e tnat the comm:s.ion would ''succeed in