Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-11
employers.

The offer of the mine owners to have
the anthracite strike commission consider
only two questions-wages and method Of
adjust complaint-is far from satisfactory
to the men, according to W. H. Dettrey,
president of the miners union in the mid
die hard coal field. He said today that he
will not accept the proposition in its pres
ent shape, and he felt sure his colleagues
also will decline to entertain the operators
plan.
Speaking for myself only 1 am ready
to accept the strike commission to arbi-
trate our differences" he said, but 1 will
not agree to limit the inquiry to the two
points suggested by the operators / think
their arbitration plan is unfair to us. The
miners, however, will approach the matter
In a conciiatory spirit, and / hope we will
find a way to reach a settlement The
miners do not want strike and will go as
far as the operators in preventing one, but
they will not meekly submit to any old
proposition the operators preSent."
Asked If the miners might concede some
thing in the way of dropping some of their
demands II the operators would widen the
scope of the inquiry President Dettrey said
1t Is very likely the miners will concede
something If the opera tors show a conciia-
tory spirit and agree to more liberal arbi-
trat1on plan"
No Tangible Plan in Mind
A canvass of the members Of the scale
committee before they went into session
showed that they had no tangible plan in
mind. 1t is believed, however, that Presi-
dent Mitchell has a proposition in mind
which he will present to the committee for
ratification. Unlike some of his leuten-
ants, the miners president does not appear
to be perturbed over the situation. AL
though he continues to maintain silence
to his future course, 1t is believed he feels
that the entire matter will work Itself
without resort to long strike
President Mitchell smiled when the letter
of the independent operators to the presi-
dents Of the coal-carrying railroads. which
was made public yesterday. was referred
to today. When asked IL he intended to
make a reply he merely said: Il have
made no arrangement to answer 1t. Some
of the committeeman think he viii have
something to say when he finds time to
take up the letter.
Edward Flynn, president of the Alabama
district of the miners union. and w. K.
Fairly, representing that state on the In
ternational executive board of the miners
organization, are in the city to confer with
Mr. Mitchell on the situation in Alabama,
where a strike has been on for a long
time.
A Free Discussion.
AT noon the scale committee took a recess
for an hour and half. During the fore
noon session there was free discussion in
which most of the thirty-six members of
sentiment was in favor of accepting the
strike commission to arbitrate the differ
ences A suggestion. it is said, has been
made that II the strike commission is ac-
cepted, and Bishop Spaldng is unable to
serve because of his illness, that Archbishop
Ryan of Philadelphia be asked to serve In
his place.
There were many views exchanged on the
question of what the limits of the jurfsdic-
of prODOSel arbitration DOafd
should be. All the committeeman are op-
posed to taking the operators offer as II
stands. During the session president
Mitchell did little more than listen, ana
probably will not submit his views until the
committeeman have thrashed out the stu
alton among themselves.
Erie Shops on Half Time.
MEANWHILE, Pa, April 11.-All depart
ments of the Erie railroad shops here were
put on half time today on account of the
coal strike The men will work from Z a. n1
to IL m.
To Appeal to Roosevelt.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-. April 1.-THE South
western Coal Operators Association, at
called meeting here today, decided to appear
to President Roosevelt to help effect set
tlement of the differences existing between
the operators and the bituminous miners
now out in the southwest This action was
taken just before the close of the morning
session of the operators, who represented w
per cent of the mine owners of the south
western association, with the exception or
Texas The operators were undecided as to
whether they would send delegation to
Washington to personally lay the appeal
before the President transmit message
embodying their request This point was
considered at the afternoon session.