The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-02-14
lRRAICNING l'HE UNION
Counsel For Coal Operators Continue
Argument Before Commission.
DICKSON DEFENDS MARkLe & CO.

1 uAituti plla. Z CO l.. NRNu~'A LOT
the coal operators yesterday continued
to arraisn the Miners Union IN their
arguments before the anthracite strike
commission. The independent opcr
ators OF the Lehish. the Wyoming and
the l-ackawanna regions held the At
tention OF the commissioners for the
greater part OF the day. the proceed
ings concluding with the presentation
OF the Reading Companys argument
by Simon r. Wolycrton. the company's
chief counsel
. In nearly every case the attorneys
charged President Mitchell with re-
spousibihty Tor the alleged lawloss-
ness in the coal regions during tho
strike. and the union was character.
lied as an irrcsp onsible organization.
whose members were beyond the con
troll of the leaders. Mr.. Wolvcrton
strongly urged the Incorporation OF the
union AMI charged that it was unfit
10 control the anthracite industry he.
cause boys are numbered among its
members
samuel Dickson argued the case Of
the Iehish Coal and Navigation Com
pany. c. B Marklc & Co. and other
independent operators in the I.ehiSh
region. He defended the attitude OF
the Martle Company. claiming the
firm was justified in the stand it took
against its mon when the strike was
declared OF. because it had not been
a party 10 the correspondence result.
ing in t,e appointment OF the commits
sion
Mr. dickson directly charged Thom-
as Du@y. a union leader, with respon-
sihility Tor riots and attacks in the
Hazleton district. Speaking OF Dufys
appearance upon the witness stanr.
Mr.. Dickson said. Duffy equivocat-
ed. prVvaricated AMI cvaded. His ties
timony was shuhiing and uncandid"
Mr.. Dickson stated that the civic
tons OF Aarkle miners at Jeddo had
no bearing upon the points at issue.
1T WAS an incident dragged in ~
Mitchell to attempt To hide his de.
fenseiess course in forcing the Mark!e
workmen 20 break their agreement
with their employer"
Speaking OF the disturbances. Mr.
Dickson said: II. is evident that the
union leaders knew that they must
not personally appear in the riots To-
mented. Their disclaimer OF respon-
sibility is. however. worthless. II was
as if they had seen a non-union man
on his way to work and shouted u
their followers: Don't nail his ears
to the pump'
Upon the main question of whether
the wages are sufficient and tho hours
OF labor reasonable, 1t cannot be dis
putcd that the weight OF the evidence
is altogether on the side OF the ope~-
ators.
AS has been often pointed out. 4
trade union may sometime secure an
advance in wages sooner. or delay re-
duction longer. than the employees il
left to themselves. but they can make
no change in the essential conditions
of every industry"
Simon p. Wolverton. counsel for the
Reading Company. in his argument.
expressed opposition TO the union be-
cause the bituminous Representations
ON the national board is so much great
er than the anthracite representation.
"A man can do nothing" he said.
''without the consent of this morgan.
lied. irresponsible, unincorporatcd
body. II is any wonder the opera
tors do NOT recognize il? The bitu-
minous miners never ought TO be
trusted with control of the anthracite
production. We don't oppose labor
unions. but boys under lG years Of
age are in partial control OF the mi
ners union. and. according to their
own testimony, the union is not a re-
sponsible organization. John Mitchell
was opposed to the recent strike but
the convention declared it. Mitchell
advised against violence. but there was
violence He cannot control the mem
bers of the union.
There is every reason why the
United Mine Workers should be char
tered. The basic principle OF the or
ganization is collective bargaining.
but they do not want collective re.
sponsibility. There were outrages per-
petrated during the strike The mem,
bers of the union violated the law.
If its ranks are unlawful. then the
organization is unlawful.
The calling out of the pumpmen
during the strike was smart step
taken by Mitchell to compel the oper
ators to agree to one of the most i'm
portant demands of the miners. tina,
of an eighthour day"
Others who presented arguments
were: J. B. Kerr. representing the
Scranton Coal Company. and Former
Judge Alfred Hand. for the independ-
snt operators of the Scranton district
General wilson of the commission
said yesterday that the course 20 Dc
pursued in announcing the boards de
cision has not been definitely settled
Il think, however" he said. that our
report will be in two parts. One
definite finding upon the points at IS
sue, which the opposing parties have
agreed to consider binding. With this
we may submit a second report con.
tanning our recommendation as H.
future relations between operators
and miners. This will. OF course. not
be binding upon either party. Luf viii