Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-11-15
.BAER MAKES HIS REPLY
Denies That Miners Have Any
Reason TO Complain.
WARNING TO THE COMMISSION
Says That United Mine Workers Are Excluded
from Recognition in the Arbitration.


Washington November ~. The re-
ply OF President George +. Baer Of the
Philadelphia aud Reading Coal Com
pany. TO the charges Of President Nit
chell. Of the United Mineworkers,
which has been presented to the An
thracite Coal Strike Commission was
yesterday given to the public Mr..
Baer makes no reference to Nv Nit
chell as the President of the miners
organization, but refers to him simply
as an individual. Taking up the spec
ifcations IN Mr. Mitchells charges Sc
riatim. Mr. Baer first admits that his
company owns 81 collieries and that
before the strike it employed rs, 800
people Following is a brief summary
of the response to NJ. lMitchell's other
specifications
Second-The demand for 20 per cent.
| increase in wages on piecework is de-
nounced as arbitrary, unreasonable
and unjust. z" The company contends
that. after making all necessary allow
ances for different conditions, the rate
of wages paid for the mining of an
thracite coal is as high as that paid in
the b;tuminous coal fields.
Third-The company denies that the
present rate of wages is lower than is
paid in other occupations in the same
locality and controlled by like condi-
tions.
Fourth aid Fifth--Mr Baer denies
that the earnings of the anthracite
workers are less than the average
earnings for other occupations requir-
ing skill and training. and also the
charge that the earnings are INSULT
cient because of the dangerous charac-
ter Of work in the anthracite mines.
Sixth-This specification made by
Mr. Mitchell is referred to as too
vague for specific answer. but in a
general way it is stated that the an
thlacite regions are among the most
prosperous in the United States
Seventh--The company pronounces
as unjust aud inequitable the demand
for a reduction of 20 per cent in hours
of labor. without a reduction of earn
ings for time of employees, and this de
mand is pronounced impracticable. In
this connection the following state
ment is made:
Because of the injury to - mines
by the strike of the United Minework-
ers the cost of producing coal has been
greatly increased and temporary
advance i'll price was made by this
company. but it will be impracticable
to continue such increase when min
ing operations become normal.
Eighth-Mr. Baer says that his com
panv has no disagreement with any of
it's employees about the weighing of
coal, because the quantity is usually
determined by measurement and not
by weight
Ninth-Replying to the fourth de-
mand made by Mr. Mitchell, Mr.. Baer
says since the advent of the United
Mineworkers' organization into the
anthracite fields business conditions
there have been intolerable; that the
output of the. mines has decreased,
that discipline has been destroyed {;
that strikes have been of almost daily
occurrence: that men have worked
when and as thew please. and that
the cost Of mining has been eeatly in
creased. He also takes the position
that the jurisdiction Of the commits
sion is limited to the conditions nam
ed by the coal company presidents.
which excludes the United Minework-
ers from any recognition in the pro-
ceedings He says, however. that
when a labor organization limited
to anthracite mine workers is created
which shall obey the law respect
the right of every man to work and
honestly a cooperate with employers,
tade agreements may become practi-
cable.