The Washington herald., 1914-01-06
INQUIRY PLANNED
TO SIFT STRIKES
Industrial Relations Commis-
sion to Start Nationwide
Investigation.
HEARINGS TO BE HELD
Following Completion Of Probe, Re-
port Making Recommendation
to Go to Congress.

The Federal Commission ON Industrial
Relations yesterday announced ma
tional investigation Of great labor dis
turbances.
Particular attention will be paid TO
strikes in the Calumet copper region OF
Michigan. the Colorado coal fields, and
recent strikes in Paterson, n. j., Law
renee, Mass, and Los Angeles, Cal Ex-
pert investigators will be dispatched to
the pending and recent storm centers OF
labor disturbances. The commission and
witnesses and conduct formal court in
vesligation upon all phases Of indus
trial unrest.
Members of the commission themselves.
il is believed. will attend these hearings
in person in line with their expressed
personal desires to learn at first hand
conditions swaying labor Full publicity
will attend these hearings and under the
law bringing the commission into being
formal report will be made to Congress
with recommendations for legislation.
Reports In February.
The preliminary reports of the special
agents investigating labor agitation will
be laid before. the commission on Feb
ruary 2 At this time plans for further
procedure will be outlined.
Members of commission are Frank p.
Walsh, of Kansas City, chairman; Mrs.
Borden Hartman. New York, and John
r. Commons. of the University of Wis
consin, representing the public; Frederick
Delano, of Chicago; Harris Weinstock, of
Sacramento, and S. Thurston Ballard, OF
Louisville, representing the employers.
and John Lennon. of Washington; Austin
b. Gerretson. of Iowa. and James o'Con-
nell, of Washington, representing organ
lied labor
The investigation was decided upon by
the commission late yesterday afternoon.
following an executive session of five
days. The adoption of the following reso-
luton was announced:
Outline of Purposes.
'Inasmuch as there seems to be mis-
understanding as to the powers and duties
of the commission, wide publicity should
be given to the fact that under the law
creating it. this commission has no power
whatsoever to act as a board of concili-
alton or amelioration in labor disputes, or
to interfere in any manner with the at
tempted settlement of such controversies;
however, in carrying out its duties to dis
cover the underlying causes of industrial
unrest, it will investigate existing, as well
as past disturbances"
Governor at Calumet.
Calumet, Mich, Jan. 5.-Keenly disap-
pointed because OF the failure of the
governments representative to bring
about a settlement of the copper strike,
Gov. Ferris, of Michigan, arrived in the
copper country tonight and will prosecute
a vigorous investigation of the strike.
The owners are standing firm in their
determination not to recognize the West
srn Federation of Miners, with when the
strikers are affiliated. The union leaders
are equally firm in their stand not to set
tie without union recognition.
Defy Military Authorities.
Denver, Colo. Jan. 5.-Leaders of the
miners strike at Trinidad defied the mill
tary authorities today and declared that
they would return Mother Mary Jones
TO that place from Denver despite her
deportation by the troops. Officials of the
miners union attacked the action of the
military authorities as an insult to
womanhood," declaring that she had been
man-handled by the soldiers.
Mother" Jones declared that if Gov.
Ammon prevented her from returning 70
Trinidad, through the military power in
vested in him, she would appeal to the
Federal government.
Keating Takes Hand.
Mother Jones probably will go back
TO Trinidad" was the comment of Rep
resentative Heating, of Colorado. yester-
day upon receipt of a telegram from John
McLennan, president of the Colorado State
Federation of Labor, describing the alb
duction of the famous old woman from
the scene OF the coal strike in Colorado.
The telegram stated that Mother Jones
arrived at o'clock in the morning and
at $50 was put aboard a Denver train
in charge of five soldiers