The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-12-26
LABOR OPPRESSED
Agent For Churches ASSaiIS Mine
Operators.
WORKERS DENIED JUSTICE.

Thirty Years OF Tyranny by the Coal
Companies Have Taught the Miners
That Their Only Hope Is In the
Unions, Says Rev. Henry A. Atkinson
In Il report to the commission on
church and social service of the Fed
eral Council of the Churches of Christ
In America. made public recently. tn
Rev. Henry A. Atkinson. associate So.
rotary, attacks the Colorado conI com
panies for their attitude toward the
labor troubles In that state The Fed
eral council represents thirty-one evan
gelical denominations.
Mr.. Atkinson was sent to Colorado
and also to the copper mining districts
Of Michigan. where there were indus
trial difficulties. by the social service
commission of the Congregational
churches and the commission OF the
Council of Churches. After reviewin.
the trouble in Colorado his report says:
THE coal companies dominate the
politics in those counties where the
mines are located. They have brought
about the election of the judges, sher-
ifs. coroners and assessors. They can
do about as they please so far as the
law is concerned. mass of evidence
was brought out to show that they
control the political. social and eco.
nomic situation. jefferson Farr, sheriff
of Huerfano county. has been in office
for fifteen years. He is known as the
king Of Huerfano county. What he
says goes as one of his admirers put
it to me. 1t is not what he says. how
ever. but what the coal companies say
These companies have procured his
election as well as that of other Off
GERS, and they control them.
1T is impossible to enforce the law
and the courts are practically closed to
those who in any way incur the enmity
of the coal companies: thus economic
justice is denied the men through the
manipulation of political affairs Thirty
years Of such oppression. industrial
social and political have taught the
miners that their only hope is in the
unions An individual counts for moth
ing; if he protests he loses his job; II
he makes too much trouble he is dealt
with by hired gun men, who are kept
at the mines to do the will of the com
panies and help enforce the law against
the workers
OF the actions of the militia. Mr.
Atkinson says:
1.-The soldiers were received gladly
by the strikers, for they expected they
would have some protection. but their
hopes were in vain. 1t soon became
evident that the militia was under the
control of the coal companies Men
and women were thrown into Jail with
out any charge being lodged against
them and held incomunicado.
1.-THE constitution of the state was
set aside. The militia met and escorted
strike breakers who were brought into
the state The militia instead of aim
ing to maintain order and secure jus
tice, was used to break the strike
Special attack was made upon the I.ud
low colony. it being the largest in the
district. There We're 800 persons living
there: 212 of them children. twenty. one
having been born during the winter
There were twenty one natlonalitieS
and yet they lived in peace. 1t WAS this
colony against which the militia. in
Guiding the mine guards. directed their
fire. A number Of the inhabitants were
killed and the tents We're destroyed by
fire.
I'm the inveStiga ton following the
Ludlow battle it was shown that many
of the militia who were receiving pay
from the state were ut the same time
in the employ of the coal companies as
guards; thus they were receiving dou
BILE pay. They were really employees
Of the company fighting in the name of
the state
In reviewing the conditions the re
port says;
No amount of welfare work. how
ever admirable 1t may be. will take the
place of fair wages and right condi
tons of labor But the churches are
opposed to violence no matter what the
provocation. Such tactics reflect upon
the workers themselves.
The right Of workmen to organize
has been and is being denied by the
un-American and un-Christian attitude
of the mine operators. who thus de
prive their employees of an essential
means of self defense. the right to bar
gain collectively for their labor
"In connection with these strikes one
of the most pressing questions is that
of the ownership and the control of the
stock We call upon our united churches
to study in the light of the ethics of
Jesus the question of such absentee
ownership and the responsibility yrow
ing out of It,"