New-York tribune., 1902-08-26
LABOR AND COAL STRIKE.
EN-MAYOR HEWITT SAYS ARBITRATION
Is NOT SOLUTION OF PROBLEM
HE DENOUNCEs THE ATTITUDE OF PREs1-
DENT MITCHELL AND DEFENDS
THE OPERATORS
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

and whether or not it was an equitable solution
of the difficulty, said:
You ask whether the time has arrived for
arb1tra ton in order to end the coal strike in the
anthracite region. | think the time has arrived
when the plain truth should be told. as well to
the striking miners to the public. from some
recognized advocate of trade organiza tions as
beneficial agencies for the Improvement of the
condition of workingmen- For a quarter of
century l have uniformly maintained the right
and the duty of associa ton both on the part OF
employers and employees Such organizations,
however, must be for lawful purposes and must
look to the ACCOMPLISHMENTS of results founded
on justice. When claims made contrary to
the fundamental conditions upon which society
is founded they must be resisted al all hazards
/ | am clear that the claims of Mr.. Mitchell and
the organization over which he presfdes are in
contravention of the principles of free govern
ment and of the rights of men to earn their
living in any lawful way. without interference
from organized labor or organized capital
WHAT MITCHELL SEEKS.
The unhappy controversy now existing
based upon any reasonable claim which labor
can make for shorter hours or better wages
II Is true that Mr. Mitchell alleges this to be
the object of the strike. but matter of fact
it is notorious that the real object is to secure
| the recognition of his national organization as
an authority entitled TO decide upon the rates
of wages and the conditions of labor in the coal
| fields wherever situated. If this demand be
conceded it will not be possible for any man not
holding a union card to secure employment IN
the coal fields This will amount to denial Of
| the rights of every man TO sell his labor in
! free market. The concession of this demand
| will make Mr.. Mitchell the dictator of the coal
business and put him in control of votes enough
to decide the next Presidential election.
The right to labor is inherent in every human
being and cannot be surrendered without the
sacrifice OF individual liberty and of private
| property. 1t therefore cannot be arbitrated any
more than the right of man to his own nome
| if ii shall be claimed by outsider who prorfers
arbitration An offer OF arbitration Is away
attractive, but there many things which
cannot be submitted to arbitration and among
them none is so important to the work1ngnlan
the right to sell his labor in free market
/ The operators cannot yield this point without
being disoyal to the owners of the property
and the Workmen who carry on the opera
tiOns.
REASON FOR NOT ARBITRATING.
Il would be far better to abandon the bust
ness OF mining anthracite coal than to concede
the demand of any set of men TO deny
| the rights OF employment and OF Iapor upon
which the whole structure of free government
Is founded, and to which this country owes
| phenomenal progress In my judgment theIe-
! fore the operators are only doing their plain
duty III declining to arbitrate a question which
/ Is in the domain of conscience and involves the
! personal liberty of the individual
The only solution of the trouble is for Mr.
! Mitchell TO order the strike off without delay.
/ When this is done, If there be grievances 10 be
| ahated they Will he promptly adjusted between
| the local operators and the local unions The
admitted BY both employers and employees
What fs dtftted. and properly 90, is the power.
| by the issue of union cards. 10 refuse employ
ment TO non-union men. and thus condemn
| them to ostracism. starvation and death. Such
| a abhOrrent
| personal liberty.
| RESUMPTION OF WORK
1t is claimed in some quarters. and alleged to
! be the general opinion that the operators ought
| 10 resume work without regard to the menaCing
conditions with which the anthracite coal mines
are now surrounded. Such a position does not
| appear to me to be reasonable. As the owners
! of property, the operators undoubtedly owe a
i duty TO the community. which is suffering great
/ loss from the scarcity OF fuel The right of pri
vate property guaranteed by the constitution.
! is always subject TO the underlying principle
| that IL is 10 be used so as not to damage
! ciety.
Any claim of the operators. therefore. that
| they can do with their own as they see fit does
| not rest upon a sound foundation II however
| in the recognition of their duty 10 the public
| they are compelled to respect other fundamental
! conditions equally. if not more important to the
public welfare, they would be false TO their duty
| If they should yield to clamor and pressure from
| consequences of such action. There is princ-
| pie more important than the obligation Of pri-
| vate property to subordinate itself to the gen
| eral welfare. The demand of any man or set of
men, not occupying public office. to decide upon
| the conditions upon which labor shall seek its
| living. and to make it subject to a license from
| irresponsible leaders. whether representing capt
tai labor, is in effect claim to the power OF
| life and death and can never be conceded with
| out base surrender OF duty to greed.
THE RIGHT TO LABOR.
| The coal operators. therefore, are not fighting
so much for the control of their own property
as for the right of the citizen to labor where he
| may find employment without interference from
| organizations or men who have no right 10 con-
| troll his freedom of action.
| Finally the claim OF the United Mine Work
ers organization control the entire coal in
dustry of the country is based upon an i'm
practicable idea. Very little knowledge is nee
| essary to show that the coal regions OF the
United States differ so much from each other
| that the policy which is adapted to one is ut
terly unsuited to another Moreover the 6.e.o va
riOus mines differ from each other in conditions.
requiring careful adjustment in the wages OF
labor and in some respects in the hours neces-
! sary TO keep them in working order. All that
! a national organization could possibly do would
| be to support the claim of workmen VINO Tor
any dissatisfied with the conditohs
which prevail in particular locallty or mine
| But to call a general instead Of local strike
when a local grievance is not adjusted IN a sat
| isfactory way is an outrage of such vast pro
portions that 1t cannot for a moment ne t0lerat-
| ed nv a free people Moreover, in this day of
free discussion and the publicity of all the Facts
! through the newspapers. there is no poSslplity
| that any coal operator could or would resist
| demands which are founded upon justice The
coal mines are all under official inspection gen
orally by officers who sympathize, ana properly
go. with the miners Any real grievance, there
| fore, will not only be promptly made known
! but will he promptly redressed, when the
| questions at issue are discussed WIN good
temper and free from the passions which are
excited by general strike throwing thousands
| of men out of employment
| TO PREVENT RECURRENCE OF STRIKES.
| The consequences of such strikes dsas
| trous not merely to the parties directly con-
| cerned but to the whole community. that every
| effort should be made as soon as the exlsuhs
strike has been called off and the excitement IS
| the recurrence of such calamitous CONNECTS
whereby everybody is injured and no one Is
| benefited. $50
| The enactment of such legislation will not be
! attended with more difficulty than IN the case
/ of other DISPUTES now regulated by law and
subiect TO the adtudicatio of the courts, when
| the miners shall realize that they are making
! war upon their own rights secured by centuries
| nd