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Show BAER PLEADS CAUSE OF COAL MINE OPERATORS Magnate of the Anthracite Trust Tells His Objections . . to the Miners' Union. PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 12. With the expectation of hearing George F. Baer, president of "the Reading company, making ma-king the closing argument against the demand of the miners, the largest crowd that has yet Jammed into the United States Circuit courtroom was present when the 'coal strike "commission resumed re-sumed its sessions today. Many prominent prom-inent men 'and women were 'in the throng. Former Congressman Wolver-ton, Wolver-ton, principal counsel for the Philadelphia Philadel-phia and Reading Coal and . Iron company, com-pany, .Who was . making his . argument when the commission adjourned yesterday, yes-terday, concluded-this morning. Owing to the crowd in the courtroom there was considerable noise and confusion con-fusion while Mr. Wolverton was speak ing, but as President Baer rose a hush (fell over the assemblage which lasted as long as he was on his feet. Mr. Baer Is considered a good speaker but he preferred pre-ferred to read his carefully prepared argument. Here and there he would lay down his manuscript and raise his voice to a high pitch when he wished to emphasize a strong point. President Baer said in part: "In the development of the natural resources of the earth it is necessary for men to combine both their capital and their energy. Railroads, steamship steam-ship lines, great steel plants and- workshops work-shops of every kind can only be created by a combination of capital. "In general, no one denies the right of men to organize for any lawful purpose, pur-pose, but the right to organize and the power of the organization when organized organ-ized . must still be governed and con- trolled by the general law or the land under which our individual and property prop-erty rights are protected. We concede to organized labor the same rights that we claim for organized capital. Both must keep within the law. "The lawlessness In the coal regions was the direct result of mistaken theories the-ories as to the-rights of the mine-workers.' It will not do to say the leaders have not encouraged violence and crime. It is true, no doubt, that they did not advise it. They may at times have counseled against, it. and expressed ex-pressed regrets for it; nevertheless, they are legally and morally responsible for the situation they created and from which this violence and crime necessarily necessar-ily resulted. "Many good men have found fault with us for not making an agreement with the United Mine-Workers of America. Tou will recall that the demand de-mand made upon us was for a uniform age scale, covering the whole anthra- j cite field. All of the operators were asked to meet in convention with a view to adopting a uniform scale. The conditions of employment are not always al-ways the same and therefore a uniform scale applicable to the whole JJnited States would not. be Just." President Baer grew sarcastic as he told in detail of the negotiations before the Civic federation. The operators pocketed their pride, he said, and met in a church building, where were present pres-ent some distinguished men. "Some were bishops and some were1 dressed like bishops." He pictured the members' mem-bers' of the federation sitting around "puffing good cigars" and not saying a word, while he and Mr. Mitchell tried to ger together. Speaking slowly and deliberately, de-liberately, he arraigned the federation for not giving the operators and the miners' representatives the "small courtesy" of hearing the report of the committee appointed by these two sides, nor did it have the "manly courage" cour-age" to further help the parties in contest. con-test. After Mr. Baer had been speaking for an hour he abandoned his notes and only occasionally referred to them. Several times his, address was interrupted inter-rupted by hand-clapping, which was promptly suppressed by the chairman. President Mitchell entered the courtroom court-room at 12:30, having Just arrived from the West |