The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-21
The Coal Commissions Awards.

The Coal Commissions Awards.
The award of the anthracite coal arbi-
tration commission is so important that
most readers will probably carefully peruse
: the published summaries which will be
found on another page to-day. Yet there
are some points to which attention may
profitably be directed.
In making provision for an increase of
wages that amounts to about 10 per cent
all along the line, the commission sub
tantially recognizes the claim Of the min
ers that they were underpaid, and in ef
feet grants their compromise demand.
But it is in some of the general rules
and regulations governing the relations of
employers and employees in the anthracite
mines that the true import Of the work of
the commission is to be found.
t Perhaps the greatest work Of the COM
mission is in providing the machinery for
the settlement of future disputes between
miners and operators, thus recognizing
the principle of voluntary arbitration for
which Mitchell contended so hard when
Baer was writing essays about the divine
right Of coal operators. While no direct
recognition Of the miners union is made
here or elsewhere, the practical working
of this plan of conciliation is that the
: union will name the miners representa-
: tives. An important provision in this con :
nection is that there shall be no strike
8 Or lockout pending the adjustment Of a
. dispute.
11o rfff fIon otoef -ir ;o 4l,o4
neither miners nor opera tors shall try to
1 restrict production without mutual
agreement to that end. This is one Of
the most radical recognitions of the work
{ er's control over the institution in which
he is employed ever made. It not only
prevents the operator from offsetting in
creased price pay by reducing production:
but 1t makes it impossible for him. un-
der the rules, to reduce production unless
an organization representing a majority
OF the miners, (and that will be the un-
ion), and the operator or operators can
come to an agreement respecting limita-
tion of output. -- ~
The provision of a sliding scale OF wa sc
increase or decrease above an established
minimum is important. 1t creates an
automatic method of increasing wages
when earnings are increasing, and will
tend to do away with the irritation the
employe always experiences when he feels
that he is not sharing in prosperity.
Many persons will regard as the most
important rule laid down by the commits
: sion the declaration that neither member
ship or non membership in the union shall
affect employment, and the order to mem
bers Of, the union not to interfere with
employees who are not members. This es.
tablshes the individual right to work
without the aid or consent Of any othe,
person or organization. Such rule il
lived up to will deprive the miners unior
of one of the most offensive features O.
allunions, the practice of forcing free mer
to decline employment against their will
While the commission disclaims favo
for compulsory arbitration, it comes yer,
near to such method Of adjusting dis
putes between labor and capital when i
favors state and federal laws providing
machinery for compulsory Investigations
The findings Of such a compulsory inves
tigation, are pretty apt to be accepted b,
the disputants, because the force; of pub
lie opinion will be behind it.
The public will be agreeably surprised t
find that the commission does not thinl
the life of the mine workers Is so bad a
represented, and that the social condi
tions in the mining communities are goo6
Another surprise will be found in the as
sertion, that the average daily rate G
earnings in the mining region compare
not unfavorably with that in other indus
tries. This, however, is quite a differen
thing from asserting that the yearly in
come does not compare unfavorably wit
that Of men in other industries
While the commission does not feel tha
it is required to pass upon the questio
of recognition Of the United Mine Work
ers' union, it, significantly gives it's sup
port to the doctrine Of collective bargain
ing. :. WHICH, of course, when applied, in
eyitably requires the employer to recog
nize some sort Of an organization of EN-
ployes.
To be sure, the awards Of the commits
sion have no legal authority behind then
They depend for effectuation upon publ
Eopiliioli diiu Iitc Soou laitn OF miners an
operators desirous of industrial peace Bl
after the terrible conflict of last sunlne
and fall and the general suffering it er
tailed; it is reasonable to conclude thu
for the next three Years peace and cor
ciliation will reign in the anthracite field
With such a precedent. the amicable ac
justnacnt Of other disputes between labe
and capital will be made much easier.
may not be too much to say that in II