New-York tribune., 1902-10-24
VIOLATING TIE COMPACT

The proposition of tho coal operators. that the
questions al issue between the companies and
their employees should he submitted to com
mission appointed by President Roosevelt, con
tanned this condition:
II being the understanding that Immediately
upon the constitution Of such commission. In or
der that idleness and non production may cease
instantly. the miners will return TO work and
cease ali interference with and persecution Of
any non-union men who arc working or shall
hereafter work.
The original suggestion of the operators was
modified IN some particulars. but the condition
here quoted was not changed in any respect.
II remained an essential part of the proposition
which Mr.. Mitchell advised his followers 10 sc-
cept. which they did accept in convention at
Wilkesharre on Tuesday. and their acceptance
Of which was formally notified to the President
the same day. II Is an inseparable feature of
the agreement under which work began on
large scale yesterday. and is pledged TO continue
uninterruptedly pending the decision OF the
board Of arbitration. II full reliance can be
placed on Mr.. Mitchells declarations, this con
dition must have been accepted by him. not
regretfully and only of necessity but gladly.
as being wholly conformabe with his views
and wishes. Tor he wrote to President Roose-
! Welt on October Ia:
| Every officer Of the United Mine Workers Of
| America. from the president down. has constant
| ly urged upon its membership the imperative
| need Of respecting the law: that every man who
| commits deed OF violence is an enemy TO our
| cause has been our watchword. We have re-
peatedly, and In language not susceptible Of mis-
| construction. condemned transgressions of the
law on the part Of those strike.
If that was Mr. Mitchels estimate Of the
| wrong and harm of lawlessness during the
strike, how much more deeply must he feel on
the subject now that the strikers convention
in accordance with his urgent recommendation
has unanimously agreed to accept and abide
by an agreement which explicitly requires a
complete cessation Of interference and persecu-
ton! And how doubly execrable must appear to
him any continuance or renewal OF violence
and intimidation on the part of men bound by
so solemn and deliberate pledge.
On Wednesday. October %. the day after the
strikers convention accepted the arbitration
proposal. there were occurrences I'm the anthra-
cite district which led General SchaIL COM
manding the First Brigade to say: The troops
will never be withdrawn from the strike region
as long as the strikers are as disOrderIy a. they
have been in the last twenty four hours" The
press dispatches clearly show what no meant
and Justify his conclusion. In the lower field =
soldier was fatally wounded. five houses were
DloNn mp with dynamite. and a striker tried to
shoot non-union man, thus giving the signal
for riot which the soldiers with difficulty nre
vented In the middle field striker. returning
TO look for work. was mistaken for a nonunion
man. and so brutally beaten thar ha will ba
dishgured for life. In the upper field two at
tempts to wreck railroad trains almost s,,c
ceeded. Besides these fragrant acts. the spirit
OF lawlessness was rampant I'm MANY nlaces
and plainly ready to break out I'm violence on
the slightest relaxation OF military vigilance
Altogether. the situation is described as worse
Than II had been for weeks
is Mr. Mitchell so busy preparing his case for
the commission that he has not heard Of those
gross violations, not only OF the law. which no
mas always been so anxious TO have obevod
out OF The compact which be and his followers
nave just made? If he has heard of them II ie
surely his imperative duty 10 denounce thom
publicly and unsparingly as acts Of pecnliar
ueachery. aud To enlist the help OF all the union
men on whom he can rely to make repetition
OF them impossible That is the sort of loader
snip Which the situation calls for and which tbo
puolc has right 10 demand.