The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-17

thracite mines boy must be IA yeai
of age to work inside and l. years [
work outside mine. and that In tn
bituminous region of Pennsylvania tn
minimum, age for both outside and In
side work is H. years.
Employment of Boys.
By Mr.. Wilcox: Q. Mr.. Mitchell. hav
tn" mine workers ever taken any actio
with reference to modifying this statUt
as to employment OF boys in the an
thracite mines? A. 'rhey have made
part of their declaratloi .of purposes tn
enactment of laws prohibiting the EN-
poyment of boys until they are fourteen
years of age @. They have not done any
thing but that? A. | do not know wha
steps they have what has been done ii
the legislature of the state OF Pennsyi
rania. q. So far as you are aware. no ef
| fort has been made to change this law
A. might say that | would be in a con
dition to know very little about wha
our legislative committees were doing II
attending sessions Of the legislature. w,
| have several other witnesses who ar,
very faniliary with what they have don,
| I'm that respect.
| a. Would YOU advocate changing thi.
| law so as to raise the age at which boy,
| should be employed? A. Yes. sir. @. 4,
what age? ~ Fourteen. q. You think
fourteen would be the proper. age? A. No
| ! do not think 1t would be the proper age
but ! think ii should lie the minimum as,
at which boys are employed under tho
present conditions. @. That is on the
breakers? A. Yes. sir. c. Is 1t not q
| fact that there are Il great many breaker
boys who are supporting their mothers
or sisters or relatives who are dependent
| on them? A. Yes. sir. it is true. q. Is II
not also the fact that there are a great
many breaker boys at work who have
fathers earning good wages? A. AS to
that | do not know. q. You do not know
about that? \. No, / do not know about
the part as to their fathers earning good
wages. I.aughteo. Q. Good wages as
wages Go-average wages? A. No. the
fact of the matter is that my information
is entirely to the contrary. Y. That there
are very few of the breaker boys work.
ing whose fathers are earning average
wages? A. do not know. ] presume
there are quite Il number of the boys
working whose fathers are earning the av-
erage wages paid in the antllra cite mines.
y. Yes? A. Yes. ] understand that is
true. q. Do you know whether those boys
can earn more anywhere else? A. Do you
mean by securing employment anywhere
else in the anthracite field. 2. Yes? A. |
do not suppose there is employment for
them. Q.'And would 1t be hardship to
cut off this source of income from them
this source of income to those dependent
upon them? a. ! should say that
unless the wages of their parents are
made sufficient. that it would be Il hard
ship TO cut of the earnings of their chill
dren.
Proper Age for Work.
q. But ! say. you would not advocate
the Introduction of such machinery. and
in that way the cutting off of employment
from these boys? \. | should say | person.
ally should advocate cutting off employ
mcnt from those little boys. q. BOYS under
what age. do YOU say? a. Personally.
believe that they ought 10 be in school
until they are sixteen: bur | say the
of our organization are that
they should remain in school until they
are furtccn.
@. Now, Mr.. Mitchell. coming back to
where I was, has there hccn any de-
mand for recognition of the United Mine
Workers. as Your demands have been
presented? A. Yes. sir. Well.
now, take your telegram of the Sth of
May to the presidents of the coal COM
'anics; there was no demand for recOE-
milton of the union, was there: A. The
telegram itself does not say there is IL
demand for recognition OF the union. but
tho telegram is sent by the union.
INV ''ic uiltoii is speaking through
those who are negotiating with the
railway presidents. g. Yes. but there
IS statement there of three de
mands which the union makes. and rec
ignition is not ono of them is it? A. Not
II this partcula" telegram: but it would
No necessary to say. Mr.. Wilcox. that
his telegram was sent Just before a
strike was to be inaugurated. and re-
erred to demands made prior to that
iUc.
Q. 1t does not seem to contain any such |
'ofcrcnce in the body Of the telegram? \.
lhc letters that were directed to the rail |
way presidents in last March. or during |
asked them to meet in confer |
nee with the mine workers for the pur. |
'osc of adjusting wage differences and |
making agreements. and this telegram is |
cent IN reference to our failure TO agree. |
}, Yes, hut the demands are stated in |
he telegram? a. Part of the demands |
ire. O. Mr.. Mitchell, l call your atten-
ion 10 the article which you wrote. pub
ished in Golfers Weekly, September &,
9O2, entitled ''rhe Voice of Labor" That
GEMS to contain this statement: I'VE |
make no formal demand for recognition
# the union" You published that state
nent, didn't you? A. Yes. but the article
oes on TO say: I'VE merely argue that il
II agreement could be reached between
mployers and employees which would be-
hiding on both for Il certain period of
me. say three or four years, ii would do
way with local strikes" And so on |
o il provides for an agreement.
Q. But it says also tina, there is no
ormal demand for recognition OF the
Mon, does 1t not? A. 1t is true that that
tatemcnt appears there, but the en-
lanatons of it must go along with il.
. What is the explanation? a. | might
ny that n considerable number OF people
ere under the impression that the strike
as simply for recognition of the union:
nd recognition of the union was not by
ny means the important issue in the
trke, or the paramount issue, | might
iy or had better say.
The Specific Demand.
Q. Now, in this report of the depart
tent OF labor on page ll5O the statement
contained that
"rhe specific demands. as given to me in
ritinG, by Mr. John Mitchell. the presi.
nnt of the United Mine Workers OF
melica, We're as follows;
81, That there shall be an increase of
per cent to the miners who are paid nv
'e ton-that is, for men performing con
act work. These men involve about 10
~ cent. of all tho miners.
reduction of 20 per cent. in the
me of per diem employees. The mines
'e operated about 200 days PEI year, 10
Iurs per day. This demand, II granted,
ould result in reducing the day to
'urs GO per cent?, So that the mines
ould be operated 2iO days at about the
me pay; hence am equivalent of 20 per
nj. Increase i'm the earnings. no increase
the rates OF per diem employees being
y, That 40 pounds shall constitute the
n on which payment is based for am
al mined where the miners are paid hv !
eight. This would apply in any district I,
here weighing of coal would be prac /,
able. and to those miners who are paid ,
the quantity and not those paid by the :
y. :