New-York tribune., 1914-05-28
Roosevelt Planned Drastic
Curb Tor Coal Trouble
i'm 1902.
TOLD GEN. SCHOFlELD
DISREGARD COURTS
Coloners Testimony Given IN
Suit Over Settlement-he has
a "Bully" Time.

Wuh The old. familiar Swapping tose'h-
Or ~ the Jaws IN short jerky. emphatic
sentences. and unable to wholly disguise
tie Measure he himself took in his own
narrative. Theodore Roosevelt told yes
.crdav the steps nc was prepared to take
n end the great anthracite coal strike IN
leo2
Summarized. the coloners story is that
hc was determined to send troops into the
coal fields. with or without the request OF
PENNSYLVANIA Governor. even If he was
i,nneachcd for il afterwards; that he
wanted a general to command them VINO
would disregard every court order ana
obey only his. and that in General Scho-
ncld he found such an officer that
iaw or no law. Constitution or no Con-
stitution. Re would have settled that
strike
II was disagreed bly, hot and humid yes
terday morning Yet the colonel made no
remonstrancc in tcstifying. not unler
oath. for two long hours in suit brought
il, 1905 by Alexander r Wales. Bingham
ton lawyer. against John Mitchell ana
since transferred to John F. White VINO
succeeded Mitchell as president OF me
United Mine Workers Of the World
Even the fact that Mr.. Wales claims
TO have settled the strike himself ana Is
basing his suit to recover alleged fees
due him for that service did not rune
Mr. Roosevelts good humor.
II was a referees hearing al which the
colonel took the leading part Yesterday
and his testimony was taken at the ofiices
of The Outlook" AS long as the ex-
porer was relating how he intended 10
use the big stick TO settle the strike re
was in frolicky humor.
This is almost more fun than the TN
known river" he ohuckled in an asi1e
20 reporter. but when Mr.. Wales began
10 press him with questions designed TO
make him say in SO many words that No-
latinc the Constitution would not nave
stood in his way in settling the strike
then his face clouded. His answers were
sharp lie shook his finger at his ques-
toner. scowed and frowned
After telling OF his efforts to settle the
strike through an arbitration commission
which Grover Cleveland consented TO
head. Nj. Roosevelt got down to the meat
Of his narrative and spoke as follows:
Il made up my mind that would have
10 take drastic action unless the operators
and miners got together ! intended 10
send in the United States army. | only
wanted to get 1t there and II take care
OF the situation. I told Senator Quay Of
PENNSYLVANIA I'd act and I'd guarantee
that the people of the Eastern seaboard
would have coal right away. told him
II he would help me he could vote 10 Inn
peach me later If he wished. ! asked Quay
to arrange to have Governor Stone, when |
notified the Governor. send me word that
he was unable TO control he situation,
and then | would send the army.
Il told General Schofeld that only
general would be sent in there who would
regard the matter in the light Of a prac-
teal civil war and who would take his
orders from me and ignore every court
proceeding. now matter how It read told
him he must pay no heed to any other au-
thority no heed TO writ from a judge
or anything else except my commands
He said. All right. That's enough III
60 in and heed nothing else.
Il planned 10 have him go in and act
practically as receiver for the mines"
With broad grin the colonel said he
had kept his plan secret even from the
members of his Cabinet. lie said that he
miners were right in their attitude but
the operators were both unreasonable and
offensive. George W. Perkins, Elihu
Root. Robert Bacon, Henry c. Payne and
Phlander c. Knox all offered him advice
and suggested plans for settlement. but
none OF their plans, Mr.. Roosevelt said,
appealed to him.
After telling Of his appointment OF Clark
TO the arbitration commission, Mr.. Wales
asked:
What would you have done had they
not accepted him and Governor Stone
hadn't called on you for help"
Il would have settled the strike" and
the colonels jaw shot out.
How" persisted Wales
The former President replied. Il don't
know"
Would YOU have sent the troops in vio-
latlon OF the Constitution"
Il don't agree with your Interpretation
of the Constitution" Mr. Roosevelt
snapped back. 81 intended my act to be
constitutional as the Constitution was in
terpreted by Abraham Lincoln"
would YOU have settled the strike. law
or no law persisted Wales.
ia have settled it," Roosevelt replied
hitting his desk "A powerful blow I'D
have found lav." he added
The colonel got a whole lot of amuse-
ment out of answering the next question.
FOR he grasped on opportunity 10 come
back" at his inquisitor. who had been
pressing him too closely on his constitu-
tion breaking propensities. In reply 10 Il.
he told Mr. Wales that he had never
L.ann nf his nIan fnr snttlinn the strikn