The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-19
Mr. Mitchell Says the Coal Miners
Have Tried Separate 0rganiza-
., tions in the Past.
The Commission Decides to Give the
Non-Union Man a Status in
/: the Hearing.
Attempts Are Made to Expedite
the Work of the At
.,- torneys.

Scranton Pa, Nov. 19.AThe anthracite
rt,.ile commission resumed it's hearing to-
day with the usual large crowd IN the court
room. Before w. w. Ross, counsel for
the Della ware. LaCkawanna X western
road resumed his cross eXa nlination Of
President Mitchell. Chairman Gray for the
commission again asked counsel to as
sist In eXpediting the proceedings. He
said the commission was loath to'interferc
but the hoped that Mr.. Mitchell would not
be asked to give his opinion OF matters
of which he had no personal knowledge
Mr.. MITCHELL answering questions by
Mr.. Poss. said that an increase In wages
without the adopting the weighing system
would not meet the demands Of the min
ers. An eight hour day would increase the
annual income Of the men.
= Mr.. Ross Wa s. proceeding to analyze the
constitution of the Illinois branch Of the
United Mine Workers with relation to it's
bearing on the contracts with the bitumin-
Gus operators when Judge Gray interrupted
with an inquiry to the object Of this
line of questioning. Mr.. Ross replied that
1t was for the purpose OF showing thac
since the advent OF the union the bitumin
Gus operat tors have been unable to employ
any man until he first joins the union.
He did not proceed further with the ques-
ton.
When MIR. Ross concluded his eAamn-
alton, Mr.. Mitchell was crosse x lrnined
by former Congressman Simon P. WolVer-
ton, counsel for the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron company.
Mr.. Mitchell said 1t would be impossible
ior him to give in detail the conditions at
each mine or even under each company
lie also declared that it would neither be
possible nCr desirable to divide the United
Mine Workers into two separate organiZa-
tons one bituminous and the other anthra-
cite.
No Separate Organization.
THE anthracite Miners he said, have
had independent and separate organiza-
lions in the past. They have had several
OF them. They have gone. They do not
want any more Of their organiza tons to go
the same way.
The reply of Mr.. Mitchell excited SOME
interest because Of the fact that tn was
q suggestion made by Carroll D. Wright in
his report of the strike to President Roose-
vet.
Mr.. Wolverton's cross examination oc-
cupted but five minutes. James M. Tor
:rey of Scranton. representing the Della
ware & Hudson company, followed with
a, number Of inquiries on the subject Of
the riot that occurred at Shenandoah. -,
Mr.. Mitchell was emphatic in saying.
that the reports sent out were grossly
exaggerated and that but one life was
lost. The sheriffs appeal to the gov.
ernor for aid, he said was overdrawn.
The individual operators, who have not
up TO the present time pressed their case
before the commission. through one of
their attorneys, Ira H. Burns of Scranton,
inquired of the commission is they would
be given the opportunity to examine wit
resses when questions arose which are
Indifferent with them than with the COM
rlrlcs. Judge Gray answered that they
would r
Mr.. Mitchell, in his reply to Mr.. Burns,
said that when man strikes he does not
voluntarily give up his job, but he strikes
for All Improvement in the conditions of
his job. If he wins he gets back the posi-
ton; if he loses, he goes back with his hat
in his hand and asks for job. judge
Cray here interrupted to explain the I'M
derstanding Of the commission with re-
spect to the returning to work Of men who
had been on strike. He said:
Terms Of Returning to Work.
Il think the understanding is that pend
Ing the consideration of the questions by
this commission the strikers were to 1e-
turn Immediately to work and 1 think the
further understanding is-don't let me be
mlsunderstood-that the non-union racn
should not be interfered with nor displaced
from employment generally by the To-
turn OF the union men,.
Mr. Burns was examing the witness
regarding unlawful acts committed dur
lns the strike and had asked Mr. Mitch
ell If he approved Of them. when Judge
Gray stopped him and said that nothing
c'Ild be gained by asking the question:
because ire commission had moral
sense Of It's own which he presumed
agreed with the moral sense Of the ccm-
murity and of society
Mr.. W: ter ell declared with cmD!asiS m
the course of a subsequent examination
that the miners would carry out to he let
Ter Nt, f]H> 49, ~,
out Of our union"
= Non Union Mems Status,
eisitn OF the commission in the matter If
re- the Application of John T. Lenal1an and
John T. O'Brien, attorney for the nom
union men to appear In the case In tie
light of all their claims. said Judge Grsv
they would be allowed to appear. but the
communication could not consent to the
Withholding from the public the names
Of the non-union men as their ATTORNEYS
had dc sired.
After Mr.. Lanahan assented to this.
Judge Gray announced that the commits
sion would see that no unfair use would
be made of it's names.
Mr.. Darrow insisted that Messrs. Lena
han and O'Brien really represented the
operators and not the non-union men.
whether they be here in that way or
not, Judge cray quickly replied "they
represent an important element in the in
VestigatiOn, men who work for their liv-
Ing and who are interested in the find
ings of this commission. We have con-
sidered that very carefully from all sides. -
He then directed the attention of coun-
sci for the Independent coal operators to
the fact that the answers to Mr.. Mitch
ellis demands had not been signed. This,
1T was asserted, was an oversight and
would be corrected. a.,.-. ..-.~.-- -.
Responding to request from Commits
sioner Watkins for a suggestion as tc
what should be done in the matter Of child
labor, Mr.. Mitchell said that a law should
he. enacted providing that after a certain
time children under Il should not be en-
ployed in the breakers. The only way
evil would be to refuse to employ chill
pened he said that parents swore falsely
regarding the ages Of children.
The miners president after being UNI
der the cross xamina tion Of more thar
half dozen lawyers for four and hall
days then left the witness stand.
John j. Murphy counsel for the union
read the Pennsylvania statutes requiring
the measurement of coal BY weight which
ne said he wanted to put into the record.