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Show THE END OF THE GREAT j COAL STRIKE IS AT HAND j : : President Mitchell Held Out For What He Believed to Be Right to the End. J ' Would Not Allow the Operators to Designate the Members of the i Arbitration Board. J t 4 4. J Washington, Oct. 16 The following official statement announcing J the close of the strike was issued at the White House at 2:20 f a. m. : y "After a conference with Mr. Mitchell and some further conference 4 with representatives of the coal operators, the president has ap- 4 pointed the members of the commission to inquire into, consider j and pass upon all questions at issue between the operators and min- . ers in the anthracite coal fields. A Brigadier General John M. Wilson, U. S. A. (retired), late chief of engineers, U. S. A., Washington, D. C, as an officer of the en- f gineer corps of either the military c-r naval service of the United 5 States. 1 "E. W. Parker, Washington, D. C, as an expert mining engineer. i Mr. Parker is chief statistician of the coal division of the United States geological survey, and editor of the Engineering and Mining f Journal of New York. : -f, "George Gray, Wilmington, Del., as a judge of a United States court. "E. E. Clark, Cedar Rapids, la., grand chief of the Order of Rail- f road Conductors, as a sociologist, the president assuming that for f the purposes of such a commission the term sociologist means a f man who has thought and studied deeply on 'social questions and f has practically applied his knowledge. "Bishop John I. Spalding of Peoria, Ills. The president has 4 added Bishop Spalding's name to the commission. . -f "Carroll D. Wright has been appointed recorder of the commis- . I sion." T ; WASHINGTON, Oct. 15. The prolonged anthracite coal strike is not yet practically settled, but some progress was made today, and while there remain certain obstacles to be removed, these, in the language of Secretary Sec-retary Root, it is believed, can be solved and a termination of the strike finally secured The principal of these obstacles is the composition of the proposed commission com-mission or board to arbitrate the differences between the miners and operators. Mr. Mitchell indicated formally to President Roosevelt today that the Mine Workers' union dissents from the restriction placed by the operators on the choice of the proposed arbitration tribunal, and desires the president to have an absolutely free hand in the selection, of members of the commission to be charged with an adjustment of future relations between the employers and employes. em-ployes. He laid stress in stating his objection on the proposition that one of the commission should be a judge from the eastern Pennsylvania district. He was very insistent on some of his objections, which he voiced in what might he termed a counter proposition to that of the operators. After the president presi-dent and the head of the miners' union had exchanged views freely and gone over the counter proposition of Mr. Mitchell, a call was sent out by President Presi-dent Mitchell for a joint meeting tomorrow of the executive boards of the Mine Workers' union for the three anthracite districts of Pennsylvania. At this meeting it is believed an agreement will be reached on a statement tc be officially promulgated by the miners' union in response to the proposition from the operators. President Roosevelt, having ascertained the views of Mr. Mitchell, at once communicated with the operators, and initiated efforts to reconcile the differences developed and to have the operators make some further concessions, his aim being to reach a common accord between the miners and operators whereby the labor dispute may be finally compromised and mining of coal resumed. NOT READY TO TALK. At the conclusion of the confererice Mr.. Mitchell said he had no information which he could give to the public. It was announced, likewise, at the tem-porary tem-porary White House that no official statement of the conference would be made at this time. When the last conference had been concluded Mr. Mitchell left the White House, and after a brief conference with President Samuel Gom-pers Gom-pers of the Federation of Labor and some other local labor leaders, departed for Wilkesbarre, Pa. Mr. Mitchell's visit to Washington was by invitation of President Roosevelt, Roose-velt, who asked the miners' president to come to Washington in order that they might discuss the terms of the proposition submitted to the president last Monday night by the anthracite coal railroad presidents, in the hope that the operators and miners might be brought Into agreement. While all persons having knowledge of the details of the conference are extremely reticent, enough is known to justify the statement that while- they did not accomplish a settlement of the strike they at the same time were not barren of tangible results. Some obstacles to a settlement remain. The discussion dis-cussion of the situation lwas entirely amicable. Mr. Mitchell was in a conciliatory con-ciliatory rilood, and the president was very zealous in his efforts to promote a settlement of the prolonged strike. At the first conference, which lasted from 11:50 a. m. until 12:55 p. m., the president and Mr. Mitchell discussed fully the proposition made by the operators oper-ators for an arbitration' commission. In a general way the miners' president indicated certain objections which he had to the proposition of the operators, but It is understood did not at that time present his objections in a formal statement, - -CONFERRED WITH SARGENT. At the conclusion of the first conference Mr.-Mitchell walked over to the treasury department, where for two hours he remained closeted with Frank Pi. Sargent, commissioner of immigration, in the latter's office. During that time Mr. Mitchell communicated by long distance telephone with persons in New York and Wilkesbarre. It is understood that at that time he called a meeting of the district presidents to be held in Wilkesbarre tomorrow. He discussed fully the situation with Mr. Sargent, with whom he has had a longtime long-time friendship, Mr. Sargent until recently having been president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. Commissioner Sargent has been an important im-portant factor In the efforts made by President Roosevelt to effect a settlement settle-ment of the controversy between the miners and operators, and therefore was in a position to talk frankly with Mr. Mitchell. Their conference was as earnest as it was long. It is believed that at its conclusion Mr. Mitchell had formulated a statement akin to a counter proposition to that made by the operators. This he later presented to the president, going directly from Mr. E; Sargent's office to" the White House at 3 o'clock for that purpose. ii While no authorized statement of a counter proposition could be obtained i it can be stated on excellent authority that1 Mr. Mitchell, in criticism of the ! proposition of the operators, took exception to the disparagement of the 'i miners' union and to the limitation of the time in which, under the proposed agreement, there is to be no strike. His particular objection, however, was to the insistence of the mine owners that they should be permitted to designate the classes from which the arbitrators should be drawn by the president. 1 MITCHELL TOOK A FIRM STAND. It is understood that he took a firm stand against this proposition, saying he was satisfied the miners would not submit to any arbitration which would not be arbitration In fact as well as in name. He urged that this would not be the case if one side to the controversy were afforded the advantage of naming nam-ing the classes from which the arbitrators were to be appointed. He ex- pressed himself as being as anxious as ever for arbitration, but planted his ( foot squarely on the proposition that the president should be allowed to name ( the arbitrators without any restrictions or limitations made either by the miners or by the mine owners. y Mr. Mitchell, in his counter proposition, insisted that President Roosevelt ) be eiven a free hand in the selection of the board of arbitration and that the terms under which the president is to create that board be remodeled at least ( to some extent. It is understood that the wording of the mine operators' ) proposition omitting any reference to the miners' union does not meet Mr ) Mitchell's approval. He desires, if possible, to obtain some formal recogni- ) tion of the union, although that is a technicality which he may waive sub- sequently, as by any agreement to arbitrate the controversy the miners will I get a general recognition of their organization. Mr. Mitchell also expressly opposed the restriction made In the operators' proposition limiting the selec- ) tion of a federal judge, as one of the arbitrators, to a particular jurisdiction S It is stated on excellent authority, although not the president or Mr ' Mitchell, that President Roosevelt agreed to present Mr. Mitchell's contention to the operators. It is believed that this step will be the next step taken Mr Mitchell assured the president of his anxiety to end the strike, but said that the miners were firm in their position and that he could not afford to sanction any proposition that would sacrifice their interests at this time. He was willing however, to dispense with minor details, and indicated his intention to demand only an arbitration board which should be selected fairly with respect equally ' to the interests of both parties to the controversy. ) THE END IN SIGHT. While the feeling among those who are familiar with the position taken by ( Mr. Mitchell is that it is not rich in optimism, it is believed generally that ( the differences -existing. between the miners and operators will be resolved finally. It is said that while it may take a few days to bring them together the belief is universal that the negotiations now pending will terminate the ; strike. It is pointed out by one who is a recognized authority on strike con- ( troversies that in the event of an agreement on a. commission of arbitration it will not be absolutely necessary for President Mitchell at this time formally to declare off the strike. He and his district presidents may orderthe men back to work, holding in abeyance the formal declaration of the end of the ' strike until the commission shall have made its findings, which, It is expected, ex-pected, will be binding upon both operators and miners. The events of the day leading up to the present situation were entirely devoid of sensational or dramatic incidents. Comparatively, few people knew of the coming of. President Mitchell, and as he is not known generally in Washington, his appearance attracted little attention. He came by invitation of the president telegraphed to him last night. He arrived at 11:40 o'clock He was not accompanied by the district mine presidents as he was on the trip of Oct. 3. his only traveling companion being a newspaper correspondent who accompanied him from Wilkesbarre. ' Mr. Mitchell's second conference with President Roosevelt lasted just thirty-five thirty-five .minutes. He was ushered into the president's office at 3:10 and left the White House at 3:45. He went directly to the office of President Gompers of the Federation of Labor. There he met Mr. Gompers, James Duncan vice president of the Federation of Labor, and , several other labor leaders Their consultation necessarily was brief, as Mr. Mitchell desired to leave on the first train for Wilkesbarre. Mr. Gompers and Mr. Duncan accompanied him tc his train, the three walking close together and. chatting earnestly Mr. Mitchell left the city at 4:50 for Wilkesbarre. Just before his departure he declined absolutely to make any statement whatever of the result of the conference with the president. He also declined to say whether he would make any statement after his arrival at Wilkesbarre. Shortly after Mr. Mitchell left the White House, Secretary Root arrived and soon after the president and Secretary Root left on an extended drive As the president passed through te hall of the White House to the carriage he used one crutch to assist him in walking. To a group of newspaper men he remarked cheerily that he hoped in a day or two to be able to discard the crutch.- Referring to his injured leg he said that, now was the least of his troubles. He declined to make any statement regarding the conference with ' Mr. Mitchell. ' '' 4 |