The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-02-16

AT the congressional strike in
oulr, AT Hancock this morning, while
Attorney A. T.. Petermann was
cross examining Chas. Taakencn, pres .
idcnt Of the south Range local, who
testified that he had Seen put To work
+, object To inquiry into the member
shin oi the union. Mr., Pctermann
wanted To- know how many members
were In the local.
"Whut is the purpose of your qucs-
tong' asked Chairman Taylor "Dc
Won want To get the names of IN"
members so you can blacklist them ?'
Mr.. pctermann Indignantly denied
that he had any such purpose.
The federation has claimed that its
membership included "A majority of tn.
mine workers at the time of the
strike he said. I'VE claim that the
Federation did not represent - per
cert Of them, and We want to get at
the ferres so that We can prove it. !
lave not asked for 'hc names. and
the suggestion that we wanted them
for blacklist is most unjust
Congressman Casey said he thought
Attorney Petermann was entitled to
the figures and Counsel Hilton for the
Federation, said they would he furnish
cd him by the district secretary.
The question of the ownership of a
small garden plot at Copper city drew
from attorneys for the corporations.
My morning. the first reference to the
title uf land on which the mines are
situated. Attorney RccS presented a
brief excerpt from the rule of Con-
g,ss granting Il strip OF '15 acres ~
land in 1851 TO the state of Michigan
and The subsequent organization OF
what is now the st. Mary's Canal com
pany There was nc further indulr'
on this subject. but as it has been
made an issue by the strike leaders it
is quite evident that j will have some
,ousr iaucus place in the records oi
The Inquiry.
After the examination of one wit
ness. whose grievances were general
Attorney Kerr for the federation an
nouccd that his line of inquiry had
boon Concluded He said
Many Of the witnesses will testify
along the same lines. in fact, we have
several hundred whose testimony
would be similar 10 that of any intro
duccd We feel we have covered all oi
the properties of the district and I'M
less the committee indicates To the
contrary we will conclude our cvi-
dcnce along this line. We believe II
is sufficient to give the committee the
conditions"
chairman Taylor responded:
THE sentiment of the committee -
that, while it has intmatcd no opin-
ION as to the conclusion oi TINS tes-
timony ,long this line. II would seem
as though the fifty witnesses Nh"
hac been produced arc as So"d is
Twenty-Five or fifty more on the sam"
line why consume time mnec"SSar-
Hy to prolong this character "t tcStl-
mouy indefinitely. When we come I"
visit the mines we want the miners I"
accompany us. We wish they would
Sclcct one or two or more ot th'li
number Ia indicate the nature "i mat
tcrs they complain on. 1t is approprl-
ate to close this line and give us
something else"
Attorney Rees intcrposcd with the
statement:
~ here are some whom we would
not care to take down. Let attorneys
for the ether side designate any raii
of the mine. We would not promise
to taxi" any particular person
The chair suggested that attorneys
Toy both sides get together and selec'
representatives from the opera Tors
and the strikers.
First Witness Of Day.
The first witness called was :. Nah'
Ma'ti, who complained of injuries ~
The Quincy mine I'm April. 1913 h'S
grievances pertained 10 air blasts ven
tilation and general conditions. lie de-
elaIed that Iris injuries were ESQ 'N-
work, that he cannot hear with one
ear and that he can open his mouth
only an inch. He also said that th'
mining captains told him to spend H.
limo in barring loose ground Since hf
was injured he has been getting $50
month which, is, developed, was pay
ment under the compensation act.
AT the examination CONGRESS-
man Howell asked him how much h'
earaed in Finland lie replied from to
90 marks II day. The equivalent ot TINS
Is about forty cents The compensation
act If Michigan was again referred T.
and the witness was asked If he had
sun pending for his injuries. He re-
pied that he had no money to engage
an attorney. and asked the committee
~ SNOW him how To proceed.
considerable time was consumed VI
oehins into the merits Of the compen-