Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-09
Governor Ferris Finishes IN
ve8tigation and Finds No
Spirit Of Compromise Re-
garding Meyer ORGANIZATION
NOM UNION MEN ASK
SAFETY FROM STRIKERS
Chief Executive Holds Confer
ence With Victor Berger
Seymour Stednan and
Charles Edward Russell

ny noHsIte JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wfRG1
lloughton Jan $50 far as seek .
ine information was concerned, Cow
ornor Woodbridge J., Ferris Of Mich /.
igan. virtually completed his mission
to the copper minc strike zone to-
night There remained the promise
made on his arrival that after gettine
information from both sides he in
tended to exercise powers Of porsuh-
sion towards settlement There
were indications, however that this
phase of his activity in the situation
might be postponed He asserted that
II possible he would leave for Bis
Rapids his home, tomorrow forenoon
IN any case it was stated. he intend
ed 10 leave tomorrow night
Chief interest centered today in the
testimony Of the copper mnc opera
tors It was largely an historical dis
cusson, although emphasis was laid
upon the opinion of the individual
mine officials that union labor. as
such. was not repugnant to them
They made it plain however. that the
Western Federation Of Miners could
hope for no consideration from COM
pany sources and they did not hest
tate TO make the governor know that
this attitude was unchangeablc
Acceptance of what union labor re-
garded as a challenge marked the
close of the hearing which Governor
Ferris today gave TO representatives
Of the mining companies involved in
the copper strike
"a l.. Peterman, q representative of
the Calumet and llccla. called the
governors attention to discrepancies
between the company's and unions
statistics on the strike situation.
he pointed out that the figures re-
earding the number of men employed
We're at variance and added that the
companies were willing to submit to
an actual count of employees and
would throw open their books as
source Of Information If the union
would do the same.
Claude O. Taylor. president of the
Michigan state Federation Of Labor.
/ promptly said that tho unions would
do the same thing
Governor Ferris gave no indication
as to whether any such procedure
would be adopted II has been
known, however that he has investi-
gators under James Cunningham,
state commissioner OF labor and pre-
sumably these men have already gone
into that phase OF the situation. The
/ company men eombatted several of
, the assertions made by union repre-
, sentatives YESTERDAY Attorney Reese,
, chief counsel for the Calumet and
Hecla Wering the point that Off
cials of the union were forced to call
the strike by insistence of the rank
and file, snid that the constitution of
the Western Federation provided that
any strike proposition must first be
considered by the executive board Of
the organization before it is submit
ted to "a referendum vote He said
! that the companies We're not hostile
to union labor, but that they would
not deal with unions which preached
class hatred
After this conference the governor
met a delegation Of Italian and Fin
nish non-union workmen. who came
to ask protection. They told the state
, executive that they were subjected to
daily threats and abuse from strikers.
They said that they had no use for
the Western Federation of Miners or
any other union.
Tonight the governor met Victor
Berger OF Milwaukee. Seymour Sted-
man Of Chicago. and Charles Edward
Russell of New NOrk, who are inves-
tigating the strike situation as ap-
pointees OF the national executive
, committee of the socialist party
. Two panaceas for the strike situa-
tiOn We're presented 10 the governor
Mr. Russell said the state executive
could end the trouble If he would use
his power and influence with the min
ing companies to force them to rec
, oenize the Western Federation of
Miners.
"Wlll you do it?" ne asked.
NO, sir, | will not, was the em-
= phatic response and the governor add
ed that he did not know what he
would do If the state of Michigan
! should order him to recognize a
church or any other organization.
: Mr.. Berger proposed thar an mine
! guards aud deputies be withdrawn
that the sound sense Of the citizens be-
s trusted TO preserve law and order and
{ that the state protect the men from
eviction. He offered no plan for ae-
, complishment Of this latter proposal
and Mr. Stedman suggested that the
. state might establish tent colonies for
: the housing of the men. He said the
companies had no legal right TO own
and rent houses under their charters
r but Grant Fellows. attorney general
, Of the state, disagreed with him.
q Mr.. Berger returned to Milwaukee
shortly after the interview with the
governor The other members of the
committee were undecided when they
/ would depart
Legal subjects again occupied the
+ attention Of the governor tonight and
he remained In scelusion with the at
T tcrney general and George Nichols,
special prosecutor m charge of grand
jury work
Before leaving AR patrle dictated
this statement.
u shall recommend 10 the Aus
trian government that Il take steps for
Writ of haheas corpus in federal
: courts, basing this recommendation
9 upon evidence which | have collected
In about eight cases. II this evidence