The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-15
UN|ONISN HAS
 CUT CAPACITY Operators Offers Evidence Op- posing All Recognition WORKMEN LESS EFFICIENT Witness Says, However, When Owners and EmpIoyes Disagree 1t Might
 Be We'll to Bring In
 Third Person.

Philadelphia, January 14-Recognition of the union, which the anthracite coal operators maintain is not an issue be- fore the coal strike commission, was the principal demand attacked by the Erie company today in it's contest against the claims of the United Mine Workers of America. General Superintendent w A. May of the Hillside Coal and Iron com pany and the Pennsylvania Coal com pany, which are controlled by the Erie was on the witness stand for a long time today and gave testimny tending to show that since the advent of the union Into the anthracite regions, the workmen were less efficient, that a lack of discipline has resulted, that 1t inter- ferred with authority and limited the earning capacity of the employees. On cross-examination MT. May said he thought that where the company and the men disagreed some good may result by calling in a third party. He believed the present advance asked for was un- reasonable. Other witnesses were called who corroborated much of Superintend- ent's testimony Wayne McVeagh and Maj Evrett Warren, counsel for the Erie company, expect to conclude their case tomorrow afternoon
 Wouldn't Recognize Mitchell.
 The Delaware and Lackawanna and Western company will follow the Erie. Chairman Gray Is expected to attend to- morrow's session. In reply to questions by MT. Darrow, Superintendent May said he knew John Mitchell personally, but would object to meeting him as the agent of the men in the employ of the Erie company, because it would bring in an outside element which had no direct interest in the business. He repeated that the company was always ready to meet It's employees without the assistance of an agent.
 Commissioner Clark asked the witness in case the two parties failed to agree if the men could call in an agent and MT. May replied that he thought they could
 MT. Clark: Do you think that if this policy were followed 1t would result in much good?"
 MT. May: "I think possibly 1t would
 MT. May concluded by saying he thought $500 a year was a fair American living wage, and that he would like to see all of his men earning at least that much.
 Opportunity to Earn $3.5o.
 Alexander Bryden of Dunmore. min ing engineer. said the Pennsylvania Coal company gives all its miners an opportu- nity to earn $3.50 day
 Samuel J. Jennings of Forest City, a general foreman of the company, testified that the occupation of a miner is health ful.
 Witness said he was able to earn $5 day as a miner, but on cross examination he said he received only $60 to $S0 a month when he worked as a contract miner.
 Patrick Miller of Ptston and George Macey of Forest City, miners. testified that the union was directly responsible for restricting the earning capacity of the miners.
 Macey's experience was that a young, strong man WAS not permitted to send out more coal than an older and weaker man. If he did get ten or fifteen cars ahead of his neighbor, he had to stop until the other man caught up.
 President Mitchell cross examined Ma cey on the restricted output, but he did not make much progress with the witness