Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-15
In WORKS NO IMPROVEMENT
THE WORKMAN is BETTER OFF
UNDER oPEN-sHoP, THEY
TELL COMMISSION
WAGES ARE NOT LIFTED
COMPARISON rs MADE WITH
NUMEROUS CAMPS THAT
ARE ORGANIZED

Denver, Dec. 15.-B w. Snodgrass
superintendent Of the Delagua mine
Of the Victor American Fuel company
was the first witness at today's ses
sion Of the coal miners strike investi
cation by the federal commission OF
industrial relations. He related hil
experiences in the. recent strike.
The commission, in an effort to
complete its work by tomorrow night,
began the days session an hour ear
lier than usual and endeavored to
speed up the testimony. Mr.. snod-
grass was asked to confine his state
ments to matters Of which he had
personal knowledge.
In response to questions by Chair
man walsh snodgrass testified that
the Delgaua mine was protected by
12 guards. commissioned as deputy
sheriffs on September 20, 1913, the
day the strike was declared. The
guards were armed at Trinidad, he be
lieved, by the purchasing agent Of the
Victor American Fuel company. He
testified that he added to this force
by hiring men from the surrounding
country and had The recruits commits
stoned as deputy shefiffs. raying them
dai
The W said there bad Deer
three attal 4s on the Delagua mine
from october 2s. 1913, to April 22'
1914. Two guards and one non-com-
batant miner we're killed in the at
tacks.
Frank Cove, chief counsel for the
victor-American Fuel company, testi-
fled that saloon rents on company
property hereafter would be upon
flat rate of 500 month instead Of a
per capita rate Of from 20 to 80 cents
monthly for every miner employed.
He submitted a register which he
said showed that men employed by
The company had been recorded by
personal description. He said his
company had endeayored to keep its
employees out Of politics, although ne
did not know that this was fair to the
workmen. The witness said the pub
licity Of the Victor American com
panv was confined to paid display ad-
yertigements, because the newspapers
would not print the matter as news
The pblicity work Of Ivy I. Lee u
preparing pamphlets on the strike was
donated to the operators, he said, by
the Colorado Fuel and Iron company
Before being excused, Mr.. Cove was
asked to submit his correspondence
Of inspection by a representation OF
the commission for selection Of such
documents as would be of'value.
Calls Union Graft
John Sanders. aged 2e, non-union
miner at Delagua, said he struck on
september 2S, 1918, and returned to
work four months later He said he
had been scared to death by their
agents that he would Be forced out
later if he did not strike. The witness
said he was a union man for seven
years. but preferred non-union condt
itions. He said he thought the union
was graft"
Judge Ben B. Lindsey Of the Denver
Juvenile court testified that he hae
been sent by the peace association o
Colorado to explain the strike situa
tion to President Wilson and the eas
generally. He detailed his visit t
the president and told of bis effort t
obtain an interview with John 2
Rockefeller. He read long iette
which he said he had sent to the eide
Rookefeller's secretary He said h
lhad received curt telegram in repl!
refusing to grant the interview. Fl
introduced into record numerous tel
grams and letters from John D. Rock
J feller, Jr.. although he said his ov
communication had been addressed
Rock teller s