United labor bulletin., 1914-12-05
Mine OPERATORS
CONTROL COURTS
Rev. H. A. Atkinson Reports
to Church Federation
Finds Deplorable State Of Industrial
Conditions in Colorado When Laws
Are Discarded by Mine Owners

The Rev. Henry A. Atkinson, commits
stoned by the church and SOCIAL service
department of the Federated Council of
the Churches of Christ in America to
personally investigate and report on the
truth OF industrial conditions in the coal
mining districts of Colorado. has just
made public the results of this work
Mr.. Atkinson visited the strike zone,
of this state and in reporting upon con-
| ditions as he found them says:
@The coal companies dominate the pol
itics in the counties where the mines are
located. They have brought about the
election of the judges, sheriffs, coroners
| and assessors and control them. They
can do about as they please so far as
| the law is concerned. mass of evil
dence was brought out to show that
they control the political, social and
economic situation.
Jefferson Farr, sheriff of Huerfano
county. has been in office for 10 years.
He Is known as the King of Huerfano
County What he says goes as one
OF his admirers put it to me. It is not
what he says, however, but what the
coal companies say.
Says Courts Show Favoritism.
1T is impossible to enforce the law,
and the courts are practically closed to
those who in any way incur the enmity
OF the coal companies; thus economic
justice is denied the men through the
manipulation of political affairs. Thirty
years of such oppression-industrial so-
cial and political-have taught the min
ers that their only hope is in the
unions. An individual counts for moth
ing; if he protests he loses his Job: if
he makes too much trouble he Is dealt
with by hired gunner, who are kept
at the mines to do the will of the com
psnies and help enforce the law against
the workers.
OF the action of the militia Mr. At
1iuson informed the commission as fol-
lows:
The soldiers We're gladly received by
the strikers for they expected they
would have some protection; but their
hopes were vain. It soon became evt-
dent that the militia was under the
control Of the coal companies.
Men and women We're thrown into
. jail without any charge being lodged
against them and held incommunicado.
The constitution of the state was
set aside The militia met and escorted
strikebreakers who were brought into
the state.
Recalls Ludlow Battle
The militia, instead of aiming to
maintain order All secure justice was
used to break the strike. Special at
, tack was made upon the Ludlow colony.
It being the largest in the district 4
number of the inhabitants were killed
and the tents were destroyed by fire.
In the investigation following the
Ludlow battle it was shown that many
of the militia who were receiving paw
from the state were at the same time
in the employ of the coal companies as
guards; thus they were receiving dou-
BILE pay. They were really employees of
the companies fighting in the name of
the state''
In regard TO unions the report has
this to say:
THE right of workmen to organize
has been and is being denied by the un-
American and un-Christian attitude of
the mine operators, who thus deprive
their employees of any means of self
defense. the right to bargain collectively
for their labor
Condemns Hiring of Gunmen.
The report deplored the practice of
allowing private companies to bring
hired gunmen into community in
which there are industrial troubles. and
still more deprecates such men being
give nauthority as special officers of
the government by the state and local
authorities"
The report then continues as follows:
''1n Colorado men and women were
thrown into prison and kept there
without any charge being lodged
against them. on the ground of mill
tary necessity The denial of con-
stitutional rights and liberties weaken
respect for the law and its agents and
tends to plunge the community all the
deeper into confusion and lawlessness.
"Tn connection with these strikes one
of the most pressing questions is that of
the ownership and control of the stock.
We call upon our united churches to
study in the light of the ethics of Jesus
the question of such absentee ownership
and the responsibility growing out OF
it'