The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-09
FAvORS OPERATORS.
Carroll ID. Wright Files Find
ings in Anthracite Dispute.

Scranton. Pa. Sept. 9.-Carron d.
Wright, the umpire to whom was re-
ferred the five disputes between the
operators and miners representatives on
the board of Cancellation appointed un-
der the provisions of the anthracite
mine strike commission, has flied his
findings with I. d. Nichols, secretary of
the board.
In dealing with the question of the
employers right to discharge men for
any cause other than that of connection
with labor union, Mr.. Wright agrees
wholly with the contention of the oper-
ators' representatives and declares that
the right of an employer to discharge
without giving a cause of the discharge
is sustained by the award OF the COM
mission.
The umpire's findings covers twenty
i've pages of typewriting. Regarding
the case as a whole, he says;
THE opinion is rendered that all the
men employed by Coke Bros. & Co, in
corporated at the time of the strike in
1902, except those who have been con-
victed for crime committed during the
strike, or who are still under arrest or
to whom employment cannot be given
on account of new machinery, or who
are incompetent, ought to be preferred
to new men in giving out work when
they apply therefor"
Regarding the complaint of discrimin-
alton and blacklist of employees in the
Lehigh Coal q Navigation company,
who were reinstated at the ending of the
strike, the umpire decided that it has
not been shown that the men were dis
eliminated against on account of mem
bership in the union, but 1t is of the
opinion that the discrimination existed
against a small number of men.
What the motive of the discrimina-
ton has been" Mr.. Wright says, 1T
is impossible to decide, but / am clear
ly of the oOinion. as in the case of
Coke Brothers x Co, that the Lehigh
Coal and Navigation company ought
to give preference to all their old men
those employed prior to the strike
who have not been convicted of crime
committed during the strike, or are not
now under arrest awaiting trial, or are
not incompetent or have not been
guilty of misdemeanOr to render their
employment undesirable. The terms of
the submission and the language of
the award under it make this conclu-
sion inevitable"
Leading up to the final award the
umpire says: Taking the rulings of
the court. the assertion of the anthra-
cite coal strike commission. the clauses
In the agreement made by and with the
United Mine Workers of America and
the admissions of the different mem
beers Of the board OF Cancellation,
whether on the one side or the other,
there can be no doubt that a man has
right to cult the service OF his en-
ployer whenever he sees fit, with or
without giving any cause provided he
ployer has a perfect right to employ
and discharge men in accordance with
the conditions of his industry; that he
is not obliged to give any cause for
discharge but that he should as in the
reverse case. give notice.
This right to discharge must, there
fore, be sustained. Any other view of
the case would result in compelling
men to work for an employer when
thew did not wish to. and thus enslave
them, when, on the other hand it
would compel employers to employ
men whether they had work for them
or not and would thus stagnate bus
mess and work to the injury of all
other employees"