Milford chronicle., 1903-02-13
ATTACKS MINERS UNION
]. T. Lenahan, Speaking For Nom
J Men, Makes Sensational Address.
JAMES H. ToRREY ALSO SPOKE
Attorney Lenahan Reviewed Strike
outrages and Lays Blame at Door
! of Miners Union-operators' Lawyer
j Presented Objections to Union.

Philadelphia, Feb. 1.-THE United
Mine Workers of America as an or
ganization was severely scored yester-
day by counsel before the anthracite
coal strike commission. The non-union
men, through their attorney, John T.
Lenahan, presented their side of the
controversy and demanded considera-
tion at the hands of the commission.
claiming the legal right to earn a live
iihood as they might elect, without the
consent or dictation of the union.
James H. Torrey. counsel for the
Delaware and Hudson Company. claim
ed that the question of recognition of
the union was not an issue before the
commission, but he devoted consider
able time to the consideration of that
demand.
Major Everett Warren, counsel for
the Hillside Coal Company. answered
the demands of the miners in detail,
and declared the Socialistic theories
of the union or some of its leaders to
be responsible for unreasonable claims,
Mr.. Lenahan's Address.
Mr.. Lenahan said in part:
Gentlemen of the Commissioner is
a source of congratulation to the
whole country that so abiding is the
confidence of all the parties to this
controversy in the personnel of this
commission that, no matter what your
judgment may be, it will meet wit
approval even by those on whom it
bears most hard. l am here asking
at your hands a redress for those
wrongs to which a deaf ear has been
turned by the ordinary courts of jus
tice. We have been denounced as
traitors and as allies; and on what
ground, may it please this commission:
We never vowed allegiance TO this or
ganization. We never owed it fealty.
We repudiated its doctrines; we dis
claimed its principles, and we con
demned its practices. And it is be
cause we, in the exercise of our ina
lienable rights as citizens of this coun
try, refuse cooperation with them
that we are to be stamped as traitors
outlaws and outcasts?
Nov, gentlemen of the commission,
we have three propositions to submit
to this commission. The first PROPOSE
tion is that crime was committed, and
that this crime was the result of t1o
acts of this organization. The secona
is that a citizen of the United State
has a right to sell his labor to whom
soever or at whatsoever price he secs
fit. The third proposition is that n
finding of this commission shall b
made which shall cause this organiZa
ton, either through its individuai
members or as a body, to make con
tracts which shall bind us.
Addressing myself now to the first
proposition. l stand here to arraign
the miners organization as guilty OF
almost every crime known in the cata-
logue of offenses. We have proven the
crime; and with equal certainty, in
many instances, we have proven the
identity of the culprit. What are
these crimes? Murder-fOur foul mur
ders And say the gentlemen, these
murders count for naught because Ii
was announced by some irresponsible
party that q murders were perpe
trated.' What else have we shown
here? We have shown the house
burning in the dead hour of the night
"What else? Here in this room it
was declared, under the sOlemnitv OF
an oath, undenied ana undisputed, that
the right CT sepulchre was denied to a
hC n
The hate and vindictiveness of this
organization pursues not alone the liv
ing. but it cannot me satiated in its
vengeance upon the corpse of the
dead.
"And who we're the perpetrators oi
these offenses? Who were they. IN
der the undisputed evidence of thi'
case? Union men. Men allied in syTG
pathy. men allied in membership witt
the organization. And what steps have
been taken since to declare on the
part of this organization its prote7'
against this crime, this high crime
the highest crime known to the law
of Pennsylvania? The only answer is
we have taken no steps because w
are awaiting'-what? Because we ar
waiting the judgment of the tribuna
of the law in the county of Lack
wanna
"Of what avail are the courts c
Justice of the anthracite region to I'll,
poor, inoffensive, and unoffending non
union man."
Mr.. Lenahan then proceeded to de
scribe other alleged outrages, layin
the blame at the door of the Miner
Union. In conclusion, he said:
1--WE trust that the declaration tn
will come forth from this commissi
will be such as will teach the Unite
Mine Workers that the laws of tn
land must be obeyed; that their
fraction will be visited with pun
ment alike upon the leader and t
Iowly member; and that no mitigati'
of sentence will be made or urged
their behalf; that they shall st
alike and equal at the criminal
there to receive the judgment OF
law for these crimes that they
perpetrated against that law"