Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-11
MrroHELL TALKS OF LABOR.
Coal Commissions Report Commended
 in All Important Details.

coal COmm1ESlOn hepOrL OOmmenuGu in All Important Details.
 The report of the anthracite coal fadr and just to the men and the or | ganizattion I represent l feel a great degree of satisfaction in the fact that l our posftlon has been sustained. The l award of tine commission has increased wages, shortened hours, and effected a general improvement in the conditions of employment. True, we did not get all we asked for but 1t was not reason 1 able to expect that the Commission would gramt every one of our demands. l We had never supposed that in any l final settlement either by direct nego- l tiation or arbitration. we should win i in all poinIts Nevertheless, under the l award the anthracite mine workers whM receive greater measure of jus tice than was ever before accorded them. A fact of deep significance in tthds connection is that the army of workers in that field were nevera 1eto secure proper hearing until they had organized Not lntdl they formed a I cases so presented that the public could pass judgment upon it's merits A demand for labor reform is like de- madld for amy oHher retfo1m-it cannot win unaessflt is unsuitable and is sup ported by pubic opinion. We were not able to tnduce the employers to take up the case on its merits; but dlhe Ameri- can people did so take it up, and they compelled the method of settlement winch has led to such wholesome re- I sl1lts.
 Let me say ait the outset, and with all possible emphasis, t1hat am in full accord with the Commission in it's con- demnatdon of vioence and intimidation l Some of dl1ese evils are perhaps inevi- able in amy great labor struggle, but I l have always manufactured that the worst enemy of our cause is the man who re- l sortts to dawlAssness
 Over and above the increase of wages and shortening of hours, of para mount importance | is that feature of the award which directs that when negotiation between employers and 1 grievances cannot be settaed by direct men, they shaM be referred tto 8 joint board of consolidation or arbitration. That is tine very dining have always conHemded for. It is one of lbhe cardin- al principals of the United Mine Work CTS.
 Faithful observance by both opera tors and miners of tfhe award of the Commission will, dn my Judgment se- cure many, many years of industrial l peace in the aIlhracifA region. This may be called bowling to the law: and l so far as We are concerned We should have abfded by the Commission, 1n good faiIth. If its award had abeen against us fnstead of in our favor. It is more 1t1lan likely that at the end of three yeArts for which tlis award is made, 1 one side or the other, or boAh, may want some changes in tlle wage scale. Such changes should be arranged l through joiTlt conference, and a new l agreement for term of years entered 1 upon.
 One thing upon which think l we wlM aHl agree is thlat there should l be very lbt1t1e of outside or govern ment interference Employers and employed should adjust all their diff feTences between themselves. 1t is omly in great emergency, Nike the one | TI IdfJC year, TflfaI TDe lnperFenIaOn OI outside forces is desirable.
 I ann awiare tltaIt many men who are friendly to organized labor as a mat ter of prdndple, still fear that trades alntionisNn may become tyranndcal and oppressive. But they should not judge l by isoIated instances or petty annoy ances. Trades unfonfsm has done greah work in taking children out of factoTies, in raising the age limit, in securing compulsory education and ofler reforms. It hIas done more than any other agency to lift up the stand ard of Tabor and of comfort
 The fear that the rise of trades un- ionfs1In win become menace to soci- eby, to government or ito social order, is ntteudy falEadous Unions are part of tfle people of the United States the Dahriohic, ingllrsttldoa1s people. As a labor man, I say that hlle stronger they grow, tine more conservative they become. This tendency, I hope aud believe, wfll continue indefinitely. The best friends of organized labor are tthore who believe and who teach that it can thrive only by being rioshf. by being moderate and Just, and by feeling and meetiing its responsibility as one of the aH'eat forces of our cilizenshsp and fnd1lstrbaFiEm. John Mitchell in ColGer's Weekly.
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