Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-21
REPORT OF THE COAL STRIKE COMMISSION.

making of compulsory investigation
 of difficlulties similar to the investiga- | ton which this commission has made. l The commission express the opinion that with a few notifications of the'
 federal act of October, 1888, authoriz- ing a commission to settle controver-
 sies between railroad corporations and
 other common carriers could be made
 the basis of law for arbitration in the anthracite coal mining business.
 The commission, however, takes de-
 cided position against compulsory ar
 bitration. On this point they add quite
 lengthy commentary, which closes in
 the following language:
 'sIhe chief benefit to be derived from
 the suggestion herein made lies in placing the real facts and the respons1- bility for such condition authoritatively
 before the people, that public opinion may crystalline and make It's power
 felt. Could such commission as that
 suggested have been brought into ex-
 istence in June last, we believe that
 the coal famine might have been avert, ed-certainly the suffering and depriva-
 tion might have been greatly mitigat-
 ed.'
 These awards and recommendation
 constitute the closing part of the re port. The earlier pages and by long
 odds the larger portion of the report
 are devoted to a review of the cOntro-
 versy which led to the presidents ac- T ton in appointing the committee, to the
 appointment itself, and to the proceed T ings of the commission during it's ex- istence. They review in a general way
 the production of anthracite coal, refer q to the small area of country in which
 it is produced, and dwell at some
 length on the market conditions and
 the prices of coal. They also refer to
 the hazardous nature of anthracite coal I mining and give an estimate of the
 losses occasioned by the strike. These
 losses they estimate as follows: To
 the mine owners, SAG, 100000; to the mine employees III wages, $25.OOO.0OO;
 to the transportation companies, $2S,-,
 100000. The commission says that in
 making their investigation they have .I done whatever it was practicable to do
 to acquaint themselves with the con-
 ditions which brought about the strike, q and they make the following summary of their work: I They have gone through mines and
 inspected the various conditions which \ the production of anthracite coal iH- wolves; they have visited the breakers, the engine house and pumping stations;
 they have examined the machinery by which the mines are protected from water and foul air; they have talked :. with the miners at their work and in
 their homes, and they have given atten- ton to the economic, domestic, scholas- tic and religious phases of their lives;
 they have listened to and directed the
 examination and cross-examination of 55S witnesses; they have given free scope to the counsel who represented
 the operators, the Ilon-union men and the miners, and they have devoted an
 entire week to hearing their argu-
 ments. The commissioners also say that ! while there have been differences of
 opinion among themselves, there never , has been time during the five months of the existence of the commission : when there was an unpleasant word spoken among them Cor any indication whatever of thought or desire of. aught !, save truth and justice"
 The commission then takes up the demands of the mine workers and the
 answers of the mine operators. giving in detail the reasons for the findings. Tn a general way they say that the conditions of life of the mine workers outside the mines do not justify to ' their full extent the adverse criticisms $ made by their representatives They F also find that the social conditions in the mining communities are good, and l they fail to find that the wages are so !, low among the miners as necessarily
 to force them to nut their small chill : dren to work. The commission also r find that the average daily rate of earn : ings in the anthracite regions does not : compare unfavorably with that in 7 other industries. On the subject of I the recognition of the Mine Workers l union the commission say that they do l not consider that this subject is with } in the scope of the Jurisdiction con
 ferred on them. They do say, how l ever that "the suggestion of a working agreement between employees and em- : p1oyqrs embodying the doctrine of col I lective bargaining is one which the h commission believe contains many : hopeful elements for the adjustment 6 of relations in the mining regions"
 Further on they say the present con- stitution of the United Mine Workers of America does not present the most
 Inviting inducements to the operators r to enter into contractual relations with a it''
 The commission report their inca r pacity to make an award on the de : mand of the miners for a recognition y of the union because. they say, the un- y ion is not party to the submission. Il Attention is called to the fact that MT
 Mitchell appeared before the commis- '- sion as "the representative of the an e thracite coal mine workers" and not in It his official capacity. They also call n attention to the fact that the agree n ment to arbitrate was reached between e the operators and coal miners con- Q vention. The commissioners say that Il trades unionism' is rapidly becoming d matter of business. eff the energy [. of the employer is directed to discour. Il agement and repression of the union }; he need not be surprised If the more T. radical ones are the ones most ire IS quently heard" They express, the e opinion that differences can best be r. settled by consultations by the employ S- with t0 mil v11a Inv, l,;