New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-24
MINING OPERATORS
DECLINE A TRUCE
Want to Obey Colorado
Laws, but Won't Bind
Themselves.
PRESIDENT WILSON
ALSO STANDS FIRM
lntimateS That Settlement Must
Be Reached-May With.
draw Troops Soon.

Denver. Sept. 23.-0perators claim
ing to produce 70 per cent Of the coal
mined in Colorado to-day sent q letter
to President Wilson on the strike stu
alton.
They expressed willingness TO OBEY
the mining statutes Of Colorado and to
re-employ such striking coal miners as
they think desirable and for whom
there is work at the mines, but they
refuse to enter into a three-year truce
with the United Mine Workers Of
America, or to re-cmploy all stri kcrs
not convicted of crime, or to submit 10
a final arbitrament of all grievances By
a federal commission.
The letter was a reply TO the COM
munication in which the President
urged the operators to adopt the plan
suggested by Hywell Davies and Will
lam E. Farley, federal medators, for
ending the coal miners strike. II was
signed by the Victor-American Fuel
Company, the Rocky Mountain Fuel
Company--two of the sc-called "big
three"-and by forty-onc smaller con-
Germs. The Colorado Fuel and Iron
Company gave its views TO the Presi-
dent in a separate letter made public
last night
The operators expressed doubt as TO
the impartiality Of the federal media
tors.
at is to be regretted" the letter
ran, chat the character Of the investi-
CATION and the previous records OF
these reports selected by Secretary Of
Labor Wilson justify the belief that
they are partisans OF the men who have
made necessary the presence Of fed
eral troops in the strike district. One
Of the representatives, William Fair
ley. was member of the national en-
Ccutive committee of the United Mine
Workers of America for Alabama, and,
according to their treasurer's report,
was or their payroll during the year
ended November 30, 1918. and was &C
lively engaged as an organizer and
agitator in the Colorado strike in
1908"
Won't Agree to Truce.
Referring to the proposed three-year
truce, the operators said:
"The Governor of this state some
months since entered into all agree
ment or truce with the leaders of this
organization, and in utter disregard Of
their obligations the striking miners.
under the direction of these identical
leaders, continued with renewed vigor
to destroy our roperties and kill our
workmen. 1t would be imprudent to
again place reliance upon the good
faith of these men,"
The letter stated further:
1--WE arc and have been willing to
employ as many of the strikers as pos
sble, without discrimination because
of the fact that they laid down their
tools, and believe that we can give
work to a very large majority of these
remaining in ;he state. But it is quito
impossible for US to agree 10 employ
all striking miners who have not been
found guilty Of violence"
This refusal was based in part upon
the fact that the mines already are
manned and in part upon the fact that
many strikers are under indictment on
charges of murder, but have not yet
been tried.
The operators objected both to griev-
ance committees and to the proposed
federal grievance commission. Or the
latter proposal the letter said:
"The unlimited authority Of this pro-
posed commission of three persons to
be appointed by the President of the
United States practically put the entire
control Of the most important depart
nent of our business in its hands. Its
power 10 control the conduct of our
business far exceeds any Of the demands
of the United Mine Workers Of Amer
lea. A commission with such powers
has rNver before. TO our knowledge, ex-
isted or been suggested. The Inter
state Commerce Commission, with all
its extensive powers for the regulation
of railroads and railroad business, has
no such variety or scope of authority
as this proposed commission, while the
decisions Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission are subject to review by
the courts under established rules of
law
,l:.o Cont ~ - President