The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-03-03
James McNaughton, Manager
of Calumet and Hecla, Tells
Congressional Committee
Evils Of Union Rule
DECLARES NO STRIKER
CAN RETURN TO WORK
Says Operation of Copper
Mines Under Terms OF the
Western Federation Would
Wreck Industry.
IBT Leases vine 10 EvenInE Herald. }

DT Lensec Wire ,o Evening Herald. ]
Houghton. Mich. Marcn s.-'As
long as I am general manager of the
Calumet aud heola company no strik-
er will be taken back to work unless
he gives up his membership In the
Western Federation of Miners, de-
clnred James MacNaughton today be-
fore the congressional Investigators
The Western Federation and its
members as shch have tried In every
way possible to put the mining COM
panies out OF bushes. They stopped
our business they intericied with
non-union men going To work and
caused riots. There are a great many
strikers who would not be taken back
under any conditions
lie said the federation taught a
gospel OF hate"
Mr. MacNaughton admitted that
the complaints OF strikers witnesses
of smoke and gas In some Of the
copper mines were justified. The gas
came from blasting and the smoke
from the resultant explosions and
miners lamps. he said. he denied
that gas generated from the rock
Mr. MacNaughton explained the
system Of company houses. rented TO
employees at 81 room "A month. In
Guiding repairs. water and garbage
removal. The houses owned by tho
Calumet and Hecla are appraised at
fsAi.500. The income from rents last
year was s5g.si3 and the expenditure
for repairs vas S6i,2gs, the witness
said
Pensions are given employees who
have been in the service twenty years
or more, after they reach the axe OF
sixty. The amount ranges from 50 TO
33S a month and extends over a
period OF five years.
MacNnughton admitted that Il was
the company'H policy not 60 employ
men over forty years OF age. even
though they had formerly worked for
the company.
MacNanghton denied that black
list was maintained by any of the
companies with which ~ was con
nected. His general instructions to
mine bosseS. he said. were that u a
man was discharged from one mine
II was not the affair OF any other
mine.
Asked " he had ever heard Of a.
man buying Job In the mines, Wit
ness said There was such case
years ago where wo found "a mine
captain had accepted money through
an intermediary and he was promptly
discharged. Subsequently another
captain was charged with having re-
ceived money FOR giving man work
but his accuser could not produce the
proof and no action was taken"
MacNaughton outlined for the
committee tho welfare work being
done by the Calumet and Heeia for
lis employees ana their dependents aud
told Of the system of free fuel distr-
button among the poor.
Tho witness denied that the NOR
tality from accidents waa greater in
these mines than elsewhere and quot
ed figures 10 show the percentage of
deaths was less than In the Montana
and Arizona districts
Questioned on hours Of labor. Mac
Naughton declared he did not think
men employed by his company ever
had been required TO work actually
more than eight hours a day Under
the new system they go down and
como up partly on the companys =
time. partly un their own.
The witness said the company was
not interested Ia any store and the
men were free 10 trade wherever they
wished.
MacNaughton was still under direct
examination when the committee re-
eessed.