Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-06


of the Federation of Labor. has for Several
years frequently declared that labor or
CARNATIONS would no longer look for leg1s-
lation to cure Ills they complain of. but will
use their own means to help themselves to
improve conditions.
Feeling Dominating Labor Circles.
This feeling has dominated all the prom
inent labor leaders in this country for sew
eral years. They say they have SO often
been disappointed by prospective lesisla-
ton that never took material form that
they have given up thinking Of relief from
that direction. Then. too, they say the
question prominent before labor unions Is
the securing of larger pay and better hours
OF labor. and they do not regard these
things as within the scope Of legislation
which has to deal with private corpora
lions.
So 1t Is that John Mitchell does not wish
to give up all that strategic advantage he
has secured with the vague hope that Con-
gress may do something. He considers he
has the enemy under siege and in a condi-
ton In which he cannot much longer resist
the demands of the strikers, and he does
not wish to throw this advantage away.
For these reasons the suggestion OF the ad-
ministration that the miners resume work
has not been received with favor by Mr..
Mitchell
Yesterdays Conference.
In an earnest effort to expedite the ad-
JuStUeUt Oh the COdI Slflhe pIOpith dhotuVA
conference over the situation was held at
the White House yesterday and adjourned
after three hours Of elaboration. No state
ment was given out to the conclusions
reached and every participant absolutely
refused to discuss what had taken place
during the meeting. The conference was
called, although 1t was Sunday. in view OF
the extraordinary importance to the Amer
lean people of prompt solution of the
question. Besides the President there were
present at he conference Secretary OF
War Root, Secretary of the Navy Moody,
Attorney General Knox, Postmaster Gen
eraI Payne and Carroll d. Wright, United
States commissioner of labor. The last
named was summoned to attend the confer
ence on account of his expert knowledge
of the situation in the anthracite coal fields
and because of his personal investigation OF
the conditions there which he made some
months ago at the instance of the PreS1-
dent.
The President in expressing his views a.
the outset of the conference. talked earnest
Iy and showed a deep feeling. His voice
at times could be heard down stairs. Sew
eral times during the conference Secretary
Cortelyou was summoned into the room and
directed to prepare certain matters for The
consideration of the President and his ld
visers This taken to indicate that
action of some nature was about to be con-
summated.
When the conference adjourned few
minutes before l o'clock all those who had
JOlHtu III IL utCllllSu To tdlh Every
Der of the cabinet and Col. Wright, the
only outsider who was present. was pledged
by the President to absolute secrecy as to
what had occurred within the conference
room. The utmost efforts were made to
guard against publicity, just as the preSi-
Dental summons which called the confer
ence had been in q very quiet and carefully
guarded way.
Many Suggestions Considered.
One object Of the conference was to con-
slider some of the propositions that have
been sent to the President for settling the
strike These come from every section of
the country and a large portion from men
OF standing and reputation At the same
time 1t Is said that the suggestions often
are absurd and impracticable. Others Of
fering a possible solution already have re-
Ceived attention.
Two constantly recurring propositions for
federal interference, one that United States
troops be sent into PENNSYLVANIA for the
protection of the men the operators en-
ploy. and the other that the mines be seized
by the general government. are rejected, no
matter by whom urged. The first confer
ence developed the fact that no federal in
reference by force was possible and to
that conclusion the President has firmly
held Some of the impracticable PROPOSE
tions made offers to lease coal mines
in other sections of the country to the gov
eminent so that it may furnish coal to the
people
Reply to Mr.. Wilcox.
The Attorney General sayb that he has
been asked about the statement by Mr. Will
cox at the meeting Friday at the White
House that he had written to the Presi-
dent and Attorney General in June calling
attention to the fact that the United Mine
Workers was a trust interfering with the
operations of the Delaware and Hudson
Company in mining coal In Pennsylvania.
Mr. Knox said:
II did not take Mr.. Wilcox seriously upon
this subject. Any one desiring to know his
calm views upon that subject deducted
from the decisions of the Supreme Court Of
the United States, will be much interested
in two articles by Mr.. Wilcox. the first one
entitled The Recent Construction of the
Antitrust Act in the Forum for December.
1898. and the other. upon the 'Futility of the
Antitrust Act. in the Forum for February
1900
I'm both his articles MIR. Wilcox makes
clear that he thinks mining and it's opera
tons are not within the provisions Of the
statute"
Mitchell Probably Coming.
At the headquarters of the Federation of
Labor It was stated that President Mitchell
would not be in Washington today, but
probably would be tomorrow. No Informal
ton could be obtained as to whether hts
coming has any bearing on the White
HouSe conference OF yesterday, or whether
he has any new proposition to offer looking
to a settlement Of the strike.
Compulsory Arbitration.
1t is not believed that the President will
recommend compulsory arbitration as a
measure ts be enforced by legislative &C
ton relief for the situation. Labor or
CARNATIONS erywhere In this country dur
Ing recent years have been opposed to any
compulsory arbitration.
Some years ago when such legislation was
suggested II received considerable support
from labor ORGANIZATIONS but its more COM
plete discussion resulted in the view among
labor leaders that they do not want 1t, and
they have opposed the idea almost as a
unit. They want to have the right to &C
cept or reject arbitration, declaring that
their inclination Is always favorable to the
use of methods OF arbitration and various
means of Cancellation rather than the cost
ly exDedient of the strike.
IL there should be compulsory arbitra ton
after the result OF board OF arbitration,
not desired or formed as TO be satisfac-
tory to them and acting perhaps against
their wishes. should bring IN its decision.
they ask where the power lies 10 make men
return TO their work They say the whole
moral force. influencing men to abide by
decisions of such boards, Is lost unless the
"a Ton, 10 ante l,,,o