Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-14
ARGUMENTS ARE OVER
STRIKE COMMISSION TO MEET I'M
SECRET HERE.
Lawyer barrow Pays a Tribute to
Foreigners and Earnestly De-
tends the Boycott.

At yesterday afternoons session Of the
coal strike hearing. Philadelphia Clarence
8. Darrow, representing the miners. closed
his argument Mr. barrow again took up
the question of violence.
You can never have a great strike ex-
cepting here and there violence is DONE"
he said. land so 1t was in the coal fields.
where 10000 persons are living very close
to life
He said 1t was a wonder II the operators
had fnsolently and cruelty rejected the re-
quests Of the men that there was not moro
violence among this population. which was
reduced to a condition bordering on starva-
ton.
He paid tribute to the foreigners in the
coal regions, whom he said were warm.
hearted. emotional. sympathetic. religious
people 1t comes with poor grace. he sald
for the operators to say that the Poles and
the Slavs. whose labor the operators have
taken for years. could not speak English,
and therefore are not a responsible party
with whom they could make contract.
He spoke Of the strict adherence Of the
operators to the dead letter of the law and
the moral law OF humanity. and remarked
that if leach of our captains Of industry
would respect their fellow man, the bitter
war Just ended would not have occurred,
and those who lost their lives in that strug-
gle would be alive today
+ Conflicts between capital and labor VIII
continue. he said. until these captains Of In
dustry respect their fellow men. 1t is idle.
futile and useless to talk OF curing 1t In
any other way, he said
Boycott an Ancient Weapon.
Turning to the boycott. Mr.. barrow said
there was one illustrious example. at least,
in the United States. of the boycott, and
that was In the American revolution.
There is net one specific act that u
charged to the mine workers." he said,
whom we teach our children to love ana
venerate. You and l may sit here and
judge men by the dead letter Of the law.
I'VE may say that this act is right and
that act Is wrong. but up there sits the liv.
ing God. and He judges the acts Of men BY
another standard than ours Let me say,
there is the legal side and the moral side.
The boycott is an ancient weapon; 1t Is re.
not respectable when We use It
Regarding the demand for eight hours
day, Mr.. barrow said:
''This La not demand to shirk work. as
is often claimed to be the case. 1t Is
demand for the right of the individual to
have better life, fuller life. a compieter
upon your point of view. There is only one
standpoint from which you have a right to
approach this question, and that Is what
will make the best man. the best American
citizen. to build up nation where there
win be no more strikes and no more vio-
lence. Other gentlemen may measure 1t in
dollars and cents. shall not.
In closing. he said:
Every Contest Was Won by Struggle.
This contest is one Of the important
contests that marked the progress of HUI
man liberty since the world began-one
force pointing one way. another force the
other. Every advantage that the human
race has won has been at fearful cost
Every contest has been won by struggle.
1t has come to these poor miners to bear
this cross, not for themselves. but tha4
the human race may be Listed up to .
higher and broader plane than It has ever
known before.
After the long applause which was &C.
corded Mr.. barrow had subsidized Chairman
Gray, on behalf Of the commission. said:
TT Is due to counsel and to those who
represented both sides that should say
that we leave you. or. rather. you leave
US. with feeling on our part OF regret
that the long association which has been
SO pleasant to US is about to be broken
that no unpleasant episode has occurred,
nothing that should mar the situation in
which reasonable men and citizens OF Q
great country ind themselves in mutually
endeavoring to arrive at just conclusions
and a Just verdict In q great controversy.
The work Is now ours, and know that
we have your best wishes that we may
have safe and a righteous deliverance-
Commission to Meet Here.
The commission viii meet IN secret In
Washington next Thursday and begin the
consideration Of its awards. It L. expected
that by the end of this month the arbftra-
tors will be ready to make their announce
ment
If an increase IN wages is determined
upon the Increase l. to date from the LIST
of last November. the commission having
decided upon that date on October 81.
Usually the Case.
From the Chicago Post
..she says she is always willing to listen