At the beginning of the strike Mitchell, as president of the
Union, announced that the miners were eager to submit all their
grievances to an impartial arbitral tribunal and to abide by its
decisions. The ruthless and prompt refusal of the mine owners to
consider this proposal reacted powerfully in the strikers' favor
among the public. As the long weeks of the struggle wore on,
increasing daily in bitterness, multiplying the apprehension of
the strikers and the restiveness of the coal consumers, Mitchell
bore the increasing strain with his customary calmness and
self-control.
After the parties had been deadlocked for many weeks, President
Roosevelt called the mine owners and the union leaders to a
conference in the White House. Of Mitchell's bearing, the
President afterwards remarked: "There was only one man in the
room who behaved like a gentleman, and that man was not I."
The Board of Arbitration eventually laid the blame on both sides
but gave the miners the bulk of their demands. The public
regarded the victory as a Mitchell victory, and the unions adored
the leader who had won their first strike in a quarter of a
century, and who had won universal confidence by his ability and
demeanor in the midst of the most harassing tensions of a class
war.*
* Mitchell was cross-examined for three days when he was
testifying before the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission. Every
weapon which craft, prejudice, and skill could marshal against
him failed to rule his temper or to lead him into damaging
admissions or contradictions.
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