United labor bulletin., 1911-01-26

The w f. OF NJ. are just recovering
from the blow dealth them over six years
ago.
The fight is not directed against
these men. nor against the miners, nor
the mAchinists. II is directed against
organized lauor II such decisions are
permitted TO go unchalienged every la
Dor union in Colorado VIII be disrupted
within Two years.
There was grand jury working here
in Denver recently, its principal object
apparently being TO pay political debts
and to discredit the labor department
The books OF my office have been inNes-
tigated nine times in the last year. which,
| submit is sufficient evidence that a
special effort is being made TO ind some
thing wrong with the department 4 he
reports have shown that nothing has
been discovered except that The books
may not have been kept in business
Ike manner.
This same grand jury returned an in
dictment against the secretary OF state.
charging him with misappropriating Sz5s
OF the nearly $600,0o0 he has handled
That Indictment has been dismissed, but
some OF the busy Investigators have
nied Information with The district attor-
ney upon which they say. prosecution
will be based.
There seems 10 Doe mysterious iuilu-
cnccs working 20 undermine the LABOR
department. rud all other ORGANIZATIONS
OF influence that oppose the system. We
feel the weight Of tho iron hand bnt we
do not see the presence OF the corrupt
ing agent. They first try TO bribe then
10 hulldoze and thon 20 ruin. have
been approached by agents OF the c. F.
nnd l. Co. who told me that they were
the conscience of the company: and
told them that | would hate TO be them
for II | should wake up at night and the
lights were out I would be afraid | would
see professions OF dead mems bones
trooping past my bedside-and that
ought TO hurt the conscience OF even
the c. r. and l. CO..
MIR. Brake said the department was
not receiving the support that II should
receive from the union men of the state.
Mr. Brake has made manly fight for
the coal miners through his office. He
has tried to get arbitration for the men.
but owing TO the defective statutes has
failed He has sent men into the field
TO Investigate. but there is no law under
which he could proceed. He has ap-
peared before the commission appointed
by Governor Shafroth and said that the
coal operators were responsible for the
deaths of over 300 coal miners. and he
predicted several OF the coal mine disas-
fers. but he could not force action and
the men died
Now the people have been aroused by
the awful death roll: the legislature has
been asked to pass laws that viii i'm
prison operators and close down mines,
and the legislature has been asked TO
impeach Judge Whitford for his falling
of miners without trial
The coal operators are unable to stop
the aroused public sentiment and they
are placing the blame on the labor de-
partment and are working through every
available channel TO ruin the men at the
head of the department Salaries of the
employees of the department have been
held up for weeks and indictments re-
turned by grand jury. These indict.
ments have been dismissed after being
made public and the reputation OF honest
men damaged.
MANY believe that II may yet be nee
assnry for the Trades Assembly to place
tho blame for the hampering of the de-
partment. Something should be made to
stick" on the secretary of state and
the lahor department or else the perse-
cutors should be forced to stop it--and
s,op Il soon. 1t has been going on now
for months and the people are becoming
tired of one faction trying to rum the
other to gain political prestige, as IL
would seem after Watching the uisgrace-
mI AFFAIR for long time.
The labor department at Washington
SAYS that most OF the mine disasters are
caused by ignorant foreigners. The op-
orators In their endeavor to increase div
idends, as Mr. Brake says, will not hire
tho experienced union miners. but send
into the mines such men as can be Sc
cured
Through misunderstanding of orders
or nv reckless disregard of the necessary
ru,es of operatIon. foreign-born work
men. without actual experience In min.
ing often imperil the lives of trained
and experienced workers. according to