Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-19
MITCHELL STRIVES
FOR CANCELLATION
...-, ---------
CHIEF MINE WORKERS. REPLY
TO BAER
Shows That Wage Scale Presented
Is Low-Not Willing to Share
Responsibility EntaiIed by Ac-
ton of Operators
BY Associated Pre-!

! by Associated PreSS
! INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, March 1S.-
! President John Mitchell of the United
| Nine Workers of America has mailed
! to George II. Baer, chairman of the
anthracite operators committee his re
ply to the committees communication
| rejecting the demands of the miners
| organization. .-.
| The letter. dated March II, follows
| "Referring again to your communica-
tion dated March 10, with accompany
ing documents and to our reply there
to, L write TO say that / have submitte
to our committee the answer made by
your committee to the propositions pre-
sentod by us. 1t is not necessary to
state that we were keenly disappointed
to learn that our demands were rejected
and that our arguments in favor of
them had received so little considera-
ton at your hands that they were prac-
tically ignored in your reply to us.
Scale Is Lower
I'VE have again reviewed the scale
presented for your consideration and
have compared it with the scale of
wages for smilar classes of labor in
other coal producing states and dis
tricts, and we are satisfied beyond the
peradYenture of doubt that the wages
proposed are not in excess of-indeed
that they are not so high--as the wages
paid in the bituminous mining districts
Of our country. Judging from the
language employed in your answer to
us, it is perfectly evident that we failed
to make clear or that you failed to
Understand the real import OF the
propositions submitted by us.
Permanency of Findings
I'VE wish to assure you that we are
not unmindful of the great public in
terests involved in this controversy as
to our future relations, neither are we
unappreciative of the splendid efforts
made by the anthracite coal strike COM
mission to establish a relationship be-
tween us that would insure just and
permanent peace; but if you will refer
to the award of that commission you
will find that the commission itself was
in doubt as to the permanency of its
findings and expressed the hope that at
the expiration of the award the rela-
tons of operator and employe would |
have 50 far improved as to make i'm |
possible such condition as existed
throughout the country in consequence |
of the strike in the anthracite region. |
We had entertained the hope that our
adherence to the letter and the spirit |
of the award and the absence of local |
or general strikes during the past three
years would have appealed more |
strongly to your confidence, and that |
we might reasonably expect serious |
consideration of our claims at this |
time.
Cannot Afford to Break
"But it would seem from reading your
reply that all our preparations have |
been rejected and that your final de-
cision has been given. We trust that |
this conception Of your intention is in
correct. 1t is our opinion that neither
you nor we can afford to break off |
in this abrupt manner. So
far as we and the interests we repre-
sent are concerned, we are not willing
to accept any share of the responsible
ity this action entails. We believe that
further meetings should be held and
that we should strive earnestly and
conscientiously to reconcile our diff
ferences.
Cause for Complaint
"While it may be true that on the
part of operators there has been no
serious cause for complaint during the
past three years we wish to assure you
that in expressing this opinion you do
not reflect our views. Not only has
there been criticism among the miners,
but what is more important there
exists much call for criticism and COM
plant. To such an extent is this true
that we feel it incumbent upon us to say
that we cannot with any degree of
or satisfaction continue to
work under present conditions. How
ever, we repeat that the interests in
volved are so vast that we are not
willing to break off negotiations with
out first making further efforts to
reconcile our differences. We there
fore propose that further conference
or conferences be held between now
and the first of April.
"If this suggestion meets with your
approval we shall be pleased to arrange
with you date upon which our joint
committee may reconvene."