Which president helped resolve the 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike through arbitration?

Which president helped resolve the 1902 Anthracite Coal Strike through arbitration?

• A. Grover Cleveland
• B. Woodrow Wilson
• C. William Howard Taft
• D. Theodore Roosevelt

Answer: (D)

Intervention in labor disputes through government-facilitated arbitration shows how the presidency could actively balance workers’ demands with business interests. In 1902, the Anthracite Coal Strike pitted coal miners against mine operators as winter approached and fuel shortages loomed. Rather than siding exclusively with business or calling out troops, the president stepped in, brought the two sides to the White House, and urged a neutral arbitration to settle the dispute. A panel, including representatives from both sides and a neutral decision-maker, produced a settlement that granted the miners a wage increase and a nine-hour workday. This outcome demonstrated a new federal role in mediating labor conflicts and set a precedent for using arbitration to resolve industrial disputes, aligning with Roosevelt’s Square Deal emphasis on fairness and federal responsibility in the economy.

Intervention in labor disputes through government-facilitated arbitration shows how the presidency could actively balance workers’ demands with business interests. In 1902, the Anthracite Coal Strike pitted coal miners against mine operators as winter approached and fuel shortages loomed. Rather than siding exclusively with business or calling out troops, the president stepped in, brought the two sides to the White House, and urged a neutral arbitration to settle the dispute. A panel, including representatives from both sides and a neutral decision-maker, produced a settlement that granted the miners a wage increase and a nine-hour workday. This outcome demonstrated a new federal role in mediating labor conflicts and set a precedent for using arbitration to resolve industrial disputes, aligning with Roosevelt’s Square Deal emphasis on fairness and federal responsibility in the economy.