The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1902-11-28

4
ences Is Reached During the Period
of Adjournment-Ind individual Opera
tors Want the Matter Threshed Out
Scranton, Pa, Nov. 24.-The antllra-
cite coal strike commission has adj
! journed until Dec. 8, and it is hoped that
when the arbitrator again meet an
agreement on all the points in dispute
will be ready for submission to and ap-
prevail 10y the commissioners.
/ Attorneys on both sides express the
opinion that an amicable adjustment
will be reached and predict that the
commissioners will make only one more
trip to this city.
] Before adjourning Saturday sub or
cancellation" committee was appointed
in order that the wishes of the COM
mission be officially voiced with regard
to any matter that might arise in the
interval.
The commissioners want it under
stood that they have the last say in the
adjustment of the differences; that
they will carry the full responsibility
for whatever award, if any, they may
make, and that whatever is agreed upon
must have their full approval before
the agreement can be put in operation.
The committee, which is made up of
Commissioners Watkins, Parker and
Clark, called into conference as many
attorneys representing all the parties
before the commission as could be
gathered on short notice. and stated
to them the attitude of the commission.
The individual operators, between 80
and 40 of whom are represented before
the commission, are disposed to object
to the way matters have been pro-
crossing.
Mr.. Burns one of their attorneys,
brought the matter before the commits
sion, and said the individual opera
tors wanted to be consulted in what ever
agreements regarding the proceedings
before the commission may be made.
In all that has so far taken place, he
said, the Independent operators had not
been consulted, although they had no
objection to the 10 days adjournment.
Chairman Gray, for the commission,
had long colloquy with Mr. Burns, in
which he gave the independent opera
tors to understand that the commits
siOners will rot abrogate their duty.
and that whatever agreements tending
toward settlement of the questions at
issue have been effected were made by
the parties to the agreements, and that
the commission had taken no part in
them. AS result of the discussion the
individual operators submitted Laper
containing a statement of their posi-
ton.
The independent operators say they
would rather have the whole matter
threshed out before the commission than
have a private settlement of the diff
ficulties. One of them said:
There is more than a question of
wages and hours involved in this fight.
We are right and we want to have the
opportunity of showing the American
people we are right We want to show
in open hearing who was right and who
was responsible for the reign of terror
that has been in existence in this region
during the last six months"
The rough basis on which the large
coal companies and the miners will
work in the matter of agreements are
10 percent increase, a 9-hour day and
,,Ir. 1.
the company which employs them.
Tentative proposals have been infor-
mally made by both sides, and it is
stated that there is very little difference
between them.
The matter of yearly agreements with
the men al 4 not with the United
Mine Workers as an organization, will
possibly be left to the commission to
arbitrate.