The chronicle=news., 1914-08-22
:4Ex |! War DEPT. ORDER
SContinueA fFsn DsEe IL
Ie to miners.
~. WATERMAN.
'Lieut.-Col. 18th Cavalry,
Commanding u. S. Forces

'Lieut.-Col. 18TH Cavalry,
Commanding u. S. Forces"
This is the third order of this nat
,ure issued by the secretary of war
and handed to the operators since
the federal troops assumed control in
Colorado; the other two coming dur
ing the summer season when the op-
orators were not adding many min
,ers, did not serious affect their busi-
ness. This order. however. comes
at time when the mines must be
filled with miners in order that the
winter demands for coal can be met.
The effect of the above order upon
the people and the operators of the
state of Colorado can best be shown
by takng up this order by section:
Number / says miners must seek
work at the mines" This means
that men who wish to obtain employ
meit must go In person to the mine
and make application. This order
does not seriously affect the hiring
OF the migratory miner who digs
the coal under ground. the mule
drivers. the tracklayers or timber
men who are constantly on the move,
but there are SO per cent of the men
employed about coal mine who
are known as company men, and
who are more or less skilled labor
ers'' ana quite or nearly all OF whom
do not wander from mine to mine in
search Of employment, but who are
recruited through advertising and
through the higher grade OF employ
ment bureaus. These men are known
as mining engineers. craftsmen.
helpers. clerks. carpenters. hoisting
firemen. foremen and
bosses, bumpers and pipemen. weigh
masters. machine runners and men
who are Obliged to pass examina-
tiohs and obtain certificates of eff
ficfency from the state coal mine ex-
amininy board and are mine exam
iners, mine forenen. assistant mine
foremen and fire bosses (see Section
40, Coal Mining Laws, 1919. The
secretary of war has included all men
working IN and about a coal mine
under the general term miners" as
his order clearly shows. and the OPP
orator is not permitted to hire man
for any OF these positions either
through an employment bureau or
In the conipanys office In Denver or
any city, but "at the mines only. To
follow this rule is an impossibility.
, Number is being observed by all
operators as l am informed. This is
prohibited by the laws of Colorado
and cannot be done except at great
risk. 14
Number 3 is the most serio"s han
.dicap to the operation of Goa, mines
In Colorado that has ever been en-
acted. A miner to be "citizen of
Colorado must be a citizen of the
United States and 10 be citizen of
sthe United States one must be eth
er native born or naturalized under
our laws. Ten years ago over Z per
cent Of the coal miners employed In
the United States as we'll as in Colo
RADIO were citizens of the United
States. but since that time many for
ieiyners have come into this country.
land partly. due to almost con Instant
labor troubles In coal mines, many of
mines. Today the situation Is re-
,versed and fully 75 per cent Of the
coal miners employed In the United
States as we'll as in Colorado. are for
leigners who are not citizens of the
United States or Colorado, and are
subject to Immediate discharge if SO
demanded by the federal officer in
charge. This would mean the i'm
mediate discharge of about 1900
employees. The strict enforcement of
this regulation would drive the dis
charged miners to Wyoming, Utah,
New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas
mines. wlicfe more coal would be
produced and Colorado might have
to get supply from these states, In
which event. with the high freight
rates and excessive cost which the
operators therein could demand ow-
ing to the temporary advantage,
Colorado would witness the highest
prices for coal ever known in its
history. It is generally known that
federal army Officers are very care
ful to follow to the letter the in
structions of n superior officer.
Number is controlled by the laws
of Colorado and Is in active opera.
tion. "'
The words recently hired" is
qttite indefinite and may include
miners hired since the strike call of
September 23. 1873, may go back
to the strike call in the Ignite fields
Of March 81. 1910. or even farther
back than this. That the greatest
coal famine Colorado has ever known
tshouid these instructions stand) is
immi,ent far thh ffnmef1tate future