New-York tribune., 1906-04-12
THE COAL ARBITRATION.

4 peaceful settlement of the differences be-
tween the hard coal miners and operators IS
fOreshadOWed in the counter offer of arbitra-
tion submitted on Tuesday to President Mitchell
by the heads of the coal carrying railroads.
Both sides have now conceded the desirability
of arbitration. and have only to agree on the
personnel of the arbitration board ana the par
ticuIar issues to be mediated. On the first point
the disagreement is hardly more than nominal.
The miners last week suggested that the exist
ing Cancellation board should he designated t.
settle all disputes. Judge Gray TO serve as
president to name n substitute. The opera
tors now propose a reconyening of the arbitra-
ton tribunal appointed by President Roosevelt
in 1902. of which Judge Gray was chairman.
AS the mediation board preferred by the miners
constituted under the terms of the award
of 1903 and has been engaged for three years
in applying the general principles laid down in
that award. it makes little practical difference
whether, with Judge Gray presiding and cast
ing the deciding vote. it is now empowered to
review the general situation in the hard coal
field or whether Judge Gray and his associates
on the original federal board are again invited
to serve arbiters. In either there can be
no doubt of the impartaty of the adjudica-
ton
On the second point too. the operators and
miners not very far apart. 1t is true that
the miners have urged an arbitration of all out
standing differences. including their contention
for a closed shop and their request that the
operators act as agents for the collection Of
union dues through the "check off, system of
bookkeeping. The mine owners are stoutly OPP
posed TO reopening the question of recognizing
the union. regarding that settled once for
all by the award of 1903. They insist on limit
ing the scope of the arbitration 10 two issues
whether the wage scale of 1903-'O6 shall he
raised. lowered or continued. and whether any
changes shall be made in the constitution of
the permanent conciliation board created three
years ago But it is evident that any ar
bitration must he sef-limited in scope, if it
is conducted either by the full federal board
of 1902'03 or by any substitute board dOmi-
mated by that boards decisions and opinions.
The federal board declared positively against
the closed shop theory so that that obnoxious
principle, with its 'check off, corollary. will
have short shrift in any rehearing by the old
board board of which Judge GRAY is
chairman. The operators would not be putting
the open shop principle in peril, however much
they broadened the scope of the arbitration On
the other hand, the miners would win wholly
imaginary victory if they stood out successfully
for adjudication of the question of recOgni-
ton. Mr.. Mitchell plainly surrendered the de-
mands for a closed shop and check off" de-
ductiOns in wages for the benefit of the union
when he framed his arbitration offer of April :
Before such a board he suggested he could
hope for little else than n reOpcning of the
question of wages, land that reOpening the op-
orators are now ready TO grant him before a
tribunal quite acceptable 10 the mine work
ers az the one he originally named
In one respect the counter offer of the op-
orators remedies n grave defect in Mr. Mitchelrs
programme The mine owners wisely insist on
three years instead of a two years agree
ment. so TO avoid the possibility of another
clash in April, 1908. on the eve OF Presidential
campaign. Only harm can come from entan-
Cling labor disputes with state and national
politics for such ENHANCEMENT confuses real
with factitOuS issues and gives the facie dema-
gOgue his opportunity. Any compact made now
should be made on three years basis. The
other details Of arbitration can readily be ar
ranged. if both sides continue to show good tenn
per and reasona bleness