Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-22
Women Narrate Horrors Wit.
messed in the Colorado
Coal Fields.
DECLARE DRUNKEN GUARDS
HELD A REVEL OF CRIME
Judge Ben Lindsey Outlines Plan of
Settlement Submitted to
the President

Tragic stories OF three women. telling
thor own experiences during the "massa
ere of Ludlow in the Colorado Goa!
fields strike. vouched for by Judge Ben
r. Lindsey by the chairman of the
Denver womau's relief committee. and by
Representative Evans of Montana. who.
on the authority of Congress. went to the
coal fields to investigate. thrilled an au-
dicnce that packed National Rifles Hall
last night.
The women told an almost unbelievable
taJe-ene of them, a mother, whose three
children had been burned TO death-Just
as they had told it more briefly d couple
Of hours before to the President.
Representative Bryan of Washington
urged support of his bill before Congress
for the President to take over the Col
orado coal mines with federal soldiers
and to operate them for the people, whiie
the Attorney General institutes con-
deInna ton proceedngs-and he got VIZ
orous approval.
He had bitter verbal clash with Rep
resentative kindel of Colorado. who spoke
from the floor and tried to amend a reso-
luton introduced by Judson King Indors-
ing Representative Bryans bill. Mr.
Bryan heatedly told Representative Kim
del the meeting would be better Off with
out his interference. and Mr. hlndei de-
"A champion of the masses against the
classes" and as having fought John D.
Rockefeller for years before the coal-feld
war ever aroused public indignation.
Rockefeller Is Condemned.
John D. Rockefeller, jr.. was attacked
and condemned in no uncertain terms by
many speakers. who held him responsible
for the lawlessness that resulted in muir
I,,cf tn he
fields Gov. Ammons and the state legis-
Iature of Colorado were scored as having
failed utterly in their duty to the citl-
zens Of the state. The statement was
made that Colorado has been absolutely
sold out and that John d. Rockefeller,
jr owns il. Representative Evans said
the state of Colorado lacks more in
moral sentiment than any community
ever visited The press of the country,
and of Colorado in particular, was CEN
sured as having suppressed or toned
down reports on the coal-held strike. so
that the people of the country have no
Just conception of facts as they really
exist.
Judge Lindsey. who came to Washing
ton with the delegation of women to ap-
peai TO the President to mediate in the
strike war. announced the plan of recon
Citation that ne had proposed to the
President during the afternoon. He said
that the President has thus far done all
in his power for the miners and that he
has their confidence. but that he must
now put human rights before property
rights. HIS three propositions to the
President were:
Proposals by Lindsey.
l. To keep the federal troops in the
coal fields. prevent Importation Of strike
breakers and foster Cancellation between
the mine workers and the mine operators
2 To exercise the police power and
other powers that are his under the Con-
stitution; to close down the mines and
take them over in the interests OF peace,
law and order: to force arbitration: to
haul Mr. Rockefeller into the high court
of public sentiment and force MIN 10
come to terms.
3 That in the interests of many
foreigners in the coal field, who have ap-
piled to their consuls for protection. the
President should act in such way as TO
show other nations that this country Will
not foster or tolerate spirit OF an
archy: that the President has ample
power to act summarily and that he VIII
be backed up by public sentiment.
Judge Lindsey said the President had
assured him and the delegation of women
with him that he had the utmost sym
rathy for the miners and commiseration
for their condition: that he would give
the propositions of Judge Lindsey the
most serious consideration.
The meeting was in the nature OF
forum, under the auspices of the Wash
inGton Woman Suffrage Council and was
presided over by Mrs. Glenna S. Tinnin,
who introduced Judge Lindsey.
Lindsey Tells of outrages.
The Judge said in part:
The struggle that we face in Colorado
is not purely local; the same conditions
will continue to exist in varying de-
grees wherever and in proportion to the
privilege that exists. One Of the difficult
ties that we meet is to get the facts and
another to get them before the people.
"a coal mine report-a state document
that 7 could not get published-showed
100 made orphans by mine accidents
two-thirds of which might have been
prevented. Besides these directly made
orphans there are hundreds and thou
sands of others indirectly through oc-
cupational diseases, by the mothers be-
ing forced to bear a double burden both
as homemakers and breadwinners. We
cannot stop this slaughter of the inno-
cents by looking sympathetically into
tear-stained faces; We must do as a
doctor does in disease, learn the cause
and cure il at the root.
There is something radically wrong In
the property laws of this country. The
chief cause of strife between capital
and la bor is because of lack of personal
contact between the two classes-absent
ownership.
THE Ludlow massacre of April Il
resulted when the mine owners import
ed thugs and gunner and paraIed then
militia
He introduced Mrs. Pearl Jolly as tn,
heroine of Ludlow Looking scar cely
more than girl. in brief simple sen
fences. often ungrammatical, sha told o.
how Louis Takus. a leader of the ten
colony. had been fred upon while carry
ing a flag of truce: how when she put OF
q Red Cross badge to go among tn,