coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

62 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
The Interstate Conference—Confers.
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19)
all necessities, ancl furthermore, that the consumers
of coal, both for power and domestic use,
must for the general welfare of the public, be
supplied at a reasonable price, we offer the following:
That the Cleveland Agreement now in effect be
the contract for four years ending March 31, 1918,
with the following additional provisions and exceptions*.
First. In entering into an agreement, the rights
of the employers and of the owners of property
must be recognized, and those rights can only be
modified or abridged b\ the specific terms in such
agreement stipulated.
Second. That the machine differential in Illinois
and Indiana must be adjusted on a basis that
will be more favorable to the operators of those
states.
Third. We demand that in any contract entered
into the so-called check-off or collection of dues or
assessments as the miners' union have heretofore
levied or assessed and collected by the check-off
system through the operators be discontinued.
Fourth. The establishment of a Court of Last
Resort to which disputes which threaten the suspension
of properties shall be taken, and by that
means avoid the altogether too prevalent and notorious
practice by the United Mine Workers' local
and state bodies of enforcing settlements on their
own terms in violation of the provisons of the
provisions of the agreements.
Fifth. Provide penalties in form of stipulated
fines for violation of contracts by both parties
when properties are closed in violation of the
agreement.
Sixth. For the protection of life ancl property
the operators' right to employ such supervising
officers as they may deem necessary shall not be
questioned and that they shall not be dominated
by the United Mine Workers in any respect.
Following are the principals in the conference:
Western Pennsylvania Operators: W. W. Keefer,
W. M. Henderson, W. A. Luce, S. A. Taylor, Michael
Galligher, G. W. Schluederberg, J. A. Donaldson,
W. K. Field.
Western Pennsylvania Miners: Van Bittner,
Charles Pritchard, Robert Wood, Philip Murray,
James Charlton, John O'Leary, William Teare.
Ohio Operators: H. L. Chapman, E. A. Cole, W.
R. Woodford. S. H. Robbins, G. C. Weitzell, C. E.
Maurer, Edward Johnson, A. A. Augustus.
Ohio Miners: John Moore, Lee Hall, G. W.
Savage, Charles Albasin, L. D. Davis, W. F. Lincks,
John Saxton, W. C. Thompson,
Indiana Bituminous Operators: J. C. Kolsem,
Hugh Shirkie, P. H. Penna, David Tngle. A. M.
Ogle, H. B. Talley.
Indiana Block Operators: M. L. Gould, J. H.
McClelland.
Indiana Bituminous Miners: William Houston,
Charles Fox, K. S. Whitington, James Smith, John
Hessler, B. F. Hixon.
Indiana Block Miners: Lawrence Garrigues,
Edney Buck.
Illinois Coal Operators' Association: W. L.
Schmick, A. J. Moorshead, F. S. Peabody, E. T.
Bent, James Forrester, S. A. Shafer.
Fifth ancl Ninth District, Illinois: Thomas T.
Brewster, John P. Reese.
Illinois Miners: Duncan McDonald, Joseph Pope,
James Lord, Frank Hefferley, George McArtor,
D. E. Childers, Ben Williams, Barney Flaherty.
The conference organized with Mr. Schmick of
Illinois chairman: William Green, secretary-treasurer
of the miners, secretary, and John Zelenka,
commissioner of the Eastern Ohio Operators' Association,
assistant secretary.
COURT UPHOLDS RIGHT OF TROOPS TO
HOLD PRISONERS IN STRIKE ZONE.
The right of the military authorities to arrest
and detail individuals in connection with strike
disorders, was upheld by Judge A. W. McHendrie
of the Third judicial district of Colorado in a
ruling handed down at Trinidad, Col., Feb. 4, in
which a writ of habeas corpus in the ease of James
llavis, marsbal of Aguilar, was discharged and he
was remanded to the custody of Gen. John Chase.
Similar action was taken in the cases of Albert
Hill, Robert McGuire and Antonio Lamont, officials
of the United Mine Workers of America, who also
are held as military prisoners.
Hill, McGuire and Davis were arrested by the
military authorities lcllowing the action of the
military commission which investigated strike
disorders in the vicinity of Aguilar and which in
a formal finding, charged the three men with being
implicated in some of the outbreaks.
Steps to secure their release, and that of Antonio
Lamont, an organizer held for picketing,
were taken by counsel of the I'nited Mine Workers
of America.
Arguments on the petitions occupied three days
and were concluded Saturday night since which
time Judge McHendrie had held the cases under
advisement.
In announcing the ruling Judge McHendrie held
that tbe cases are a parallel of tbe Moyer case
in all essential principles.
"The differences are technical and do not affect
in any wise tbe underlying legal principles found
in each of the cases," he declared.
Counsel for the prisoneis was granted 30 days
in which to file a bill of exceptions. An appeal
is certain to be taken.