The Detroit times., 1913-12-22

mover allows himself to Be quoted
In the public prints, brought o1t the
following points relative To the opsr-
ator's side OF the strike dispute ir
IN interview with a Detroit T. mes
representative at Calumet today:
FROM THE OPERATORS
STANDPOINT.
t6y A'6ert {. Petermann, of the Legal
Staff Of the Calumet G Hecia.)
Five months ago general strike
was called in the copper mining dts
tritt OF Northern Michigan, a dis
trict with a population OF. roughly
speaking, 100. 900. by the Western
Federation OF Miners. Between fif-
teen asd eighteen thousand man
were thrown out OF work. for every
mining company closed its miaes rs
soon rs the strike was called. All
OF the men were not called out for
the Western Federation OF Miners
had membership OF just 4,500.
Within three Or four days or
week following the calling of the
strike the membership OF the federa-
ton in the copper region was in-
creased 10 in the neighborhood of
1000. so the federation heads as
sert. However, hundreds of miners
ana others joined the federation
merely for their own protection, fear
Ing violence unless they did so. Thou
sands who never worked in a mine
also Joined. for il was good policy
Tor them 10 do so. II was believed
the federation had succeeded i'm clos
| Ing up the mines, that every mine
worker in the district belonged to
the federation The federation mem
bers had absolute control of the dis
trict and anyone who went to work
with dinner pail no matter
whether or not he worked for min
Ing company, was in danger OF be-
Ing assaulted Hundreds not employs
ed by the companies were assaulted.
There was mob rule in the district
! for two days or until Governor Fer-
iris could place the county of Hough4
ton under the control OF the state
militia. Then, and not until then,
mob, rule ceased and il was again
safe for men, women and children TO
walk the streets OF Calumet. Han
cock. Laurium and other towns OF
tho mining country. This Is a true
and unbiased statement of the be-
ginning or tho strike.
Strike Forced on Men
The demand for the strike had
been worked mp among a small.
very small percentage OF the fedora
ton members. by agitators who had
bcen working in the counties OF
lloughton and keweenaw for FIVE to
six years Al the meeting OF the
federation members held in the Am
phidrome rink in Houghton, several
days before the strike was called
the speakers had fairly TO browboat
the men into voting for a strike
They did not want IL and the decisi4n
10 strike passed by a very narrow
vote So the strike was called.
At the present time there is not,
ono man over 2.J00 still on strike
There are employed. underground as
miners and trammers. timbermen and
laborers. ard on surface as yard
mon railroad men. r0ckhouse men
and in the mills. normally. $4,000
men There arc at work right now.
despite the strike more than IL. 900
rasu Outside OF the mill men and
men who work in the refining plants
md In the Offices the copper mining
companies had in their employ the
day before the strike was called. just
1900 men. or this number the
Calumet x Hccla had 4.107
OF the membership of $500 in iha
federation before the strike wa~
called perhaps . 000 tc 2,50o believed
or had been led 90 bclicYe that they
wanted a strike. that they would gain
by IL and win I'm other words they
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