The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-01
SETTLEMENT OF | COLORADO STRIKE SEEMS FAR AWAY Both Union Officials and Mine Operators Issue
 Statements MANY HAVE BEEN
 KILLED IN BATTLES Prior to April 20, 1914, Sixty-Six Had Been Killed as Direct Result of
 Strike--Forty-Six Relied
 at Ludlow

Denver. May s1.-Settlement of the Col orado coal strike apparently is no nearer realization than it was weeks ago. ae- cording to statements by both union of ficials and mine operators today. Sixty six persons are known to have been killed and IS wounded in the numerous battles and disorders since the miners went on strike September 2s. 1913. Classified IS strikers, 10 miner guards l9 mine em- ployes. two militiamen, three non-combat- ants, two women and 12 children lost their lives Twenty had been killed prior to April 20, the date of the battle of Lud- low Forty-six were killed during that fight and the next 10 days, when federal troops stopped the warfare.
 The cost of the eight months industrial conflict is variousy estimated at from SlO.0O0oeo to si2,0eoooo. The figures in- cude S700.0O0 the state spent in main- tainng state troops In the field until the arrival of the federal forces; an estimated cost of S6, 925, 900 to the union and loss of several millions" claimed by opera tors At present 1717 United States troops are guarding the mine properties. inspector GlNeS f1gureS Figures compiled by James Dalrymple, state coal mine inspector shows that there were employed in the Colorado coal mines for the first three months of 1914 an average of 10.i49 miners as compared with 140Sh for the sane period in 1913. The total production for the first three months of 1909. was e,217.675 tons against 3. .6SS 436 tons for the same period year ago.
 From the same source it was learend there were 12,346 men working in the mines last September. when the strike was called 76e6 in October. the first full month following the strike and 10146 in March. 1914 Against these figures stand the claims of John R. Lawson, member of the international executive board of the United Mine Workers of America, that approximately Il. 600 men quit work in re- spense to the strike call last September and that about $500 mel, still are on strike | He attributes the decrease to men leaving the state, adding sthat few have gon, ifaclrf @ w,,l]r--tlfosf loss being rf}lp t,sf,
 offset bv those who have Joined th strikers "
 Operators Make Statement | At headquarters of the operators, this | statement was given out: 'It has been 1 impossible to obtain an accurate census of the men on strike. but fair approxi-
  time. Many men counted as strikers never worked in the Colorado mines. Not al lwho went out last September struck Estimates made by railroad agents and based on materials sold to miners and their families indicate that this number was between 1500 and 200o The number of mines in operation now Is Al as compared with HIS last Septem- 1 ber."
 | The original demands of the United Mine Workers of America may he sum marzed as follows:
 1 Recognition of the union: a 10 DOT cen advance In wages; an eight hour day pay for marrow and dead workings
 check weighman the right to trade wher desired: enforcement of state mining law and abolishment of the guard system. There has been no change in the ma ture of the demands, since the strils | was called" said John R. Lawson uniol leader q do not know of any pros poets of settlement. The miners neve will go back to work without recognition | of the union if they follow my advice.
 "The right to organize, an eight-hou 1 day. check weighmen, and the right t' select trading and boarding places arr 1 state laws but they are not enforced Holding that the chief demands of thu United Mine Workers. with the excep
 ton of union recognltoin, are guaran l teed by statute, the operators mhlntalf l their original positoin. namely: Refusa | to treat with representatives of the Uni ted Mine Workers of America or recog nize the union. They reiterate a willing ness to meet employees for the adjustment of grievances.
 Three Suits Pending
 i Three suits are pending in the United States district court at Pueblo on cvi and crimial charges growing out of thu | strike and score or more are docketet in district courts where the strike hal icentered.
 All of the international and district | officials, organizers and long list ol | members of the union are implicated ir one of the federal suits. charged with l conspiracy to interfere with interstate
 commerce. In another suit the same de
 fendants are charged with being members l of an illegal organization in violation oi | ---~~---. (Continued on Page EighD