The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18
UPHOLD CANCELLATION hoard.
Anthracite Operators Issue . Statement
in Its Defence.

In IS Defences
That the anthracite operators have de-
cided that the board Of Cancellation estab-
lished by the Anthracite Strike Commission
must stand as it is was indicated by a state
ment issued yesterday on behalf Of the
anthracite coal carrying companies. The
statement says that the board; consisting
of three operators and three miners; has
for three years been settling questions of
great intricacy and importance with great
success. Instances are given Of the opera
lions OF the board. OF the case Of Thomas
F. Kennedy, engineer, Of Carbondale, 1t
says:
Whe n the big strike of 1902 was ordered
he stuck to his post. Besides being a miner.
he was q member Of the Mozart Band and
Orchestra of Carbonate and for fifteen
years had increased his earnings some $40
a month by his musical ability. Though q
member In good standing Of the Musicians'
Union he was expelled and boycotted and
this revenue taken from him at the insti-
CATION. he says, OF the Mine Workers and
because he had failed to 60 out on strike.
1t was a small matter, the little extra In
come Tom Kennedy Of Carbondale might
make In footing a horn with the Mozart Band.
yet he had no hesitancy in presenting his
case to the comm ission. 1t received due and
proper consluerdtlon, JUST W. II the pOlhtS AZ
issue had meant thousands Of dollars TO
petitioner or respondent.
Some Of the cases that came before the
board and were adjudicated include the
discharge Of employers the failure OF
others TO secure reinstatementS disputes
about the quantity Of coal mined, methods
OF paying check weighmen; discrimination
in prices paid contract miners suspensions
Of contract miners for dirty coal; overtime
for drivers and occasional local strikes.
Since the first meeting Of the board OF
Cancellation at Pottsvllle, Pa. July 0. 1908.
until December IS last, 1l9 cases had been
under consideration With an army Of I69, 900
employees at work In the 400 odd collieries
and washeries. the small number OF com
plaints-less than five a month-speaks vol
umes for the desire Of operators and mine
oficials to dwell together in peace and har-
mony with their workers. The ever changing
conditions in anthracite mlning would In
evitably produce occasions for disputes. But
under the regime Of the board of Cancellation
a harmonious adjustment was first attempted
! between employee and employer. and that
: falling, II complainant desired. the board
itself acted.
OF the 1l9 cases 80 referred rs per
cent. were either withdrawn or not sus-
talned. That the operators were by
no means more successful in their COM
plants than their employees is found In the
fact that Of nine cases presented where en-
ployees were the defendants only one was
sustained. While all the others were either
not sustained or withdrawn, with the ex-
ception Of one that Is still pending.
The despatch with which the board trans
acted its business Is shown In the fact that
a OF the 149 cases were disposed Of within
one month after the filing of complaints.
and 90 within two months. The delay ia
the 80 cases was mostly occasioned by the
technicality and difficulty of adjustment of
the questions involved. The board dis
agreed and referred the disputes to an umpire
In "a cases.
It is declared that only seven of the oases
In which the award favored the men were
not disposed Of within ninety days. All
such decisions were retroactive, full oom-
pensation being granted from the date Of
each grievance. The statement concludes:
For a newly established board to settle
within less than two months after their
presentment rs per cent. Of all the cases
referred, involving the intricate details of
a most intricate business, Is an impressive
record