Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-05
MINE OPERATORS
REFUSE TO TREAT
WITH UNION MEN
UnaIterabIy at Odds With
Workers. Officials, They
Wire President.
SECRETARY OF LABOR MAY
STEP INTO STRIKE BREACH
Colorado Coal Magnates Say He
Favored Agreement With Men.
RockefeIIers Defended.

DENVER, May 5.-Replying to re-
pondence from DIR. Martin D. Foster,
chairman of the House committee On
mines and mining, officials of three
operating companies last night sug-
gested that the matter of settling the
strike in Colorado may really rest on
Secretary Of Labor WISH. He was
presrnl at the conference aetween the
operators and mine employees in Gov
ernor Am1nons's Office here last No
veTnter and agreed at that time that
the proposition for settling the strike,
advanced by the governor and accept
ed by the operators, was plausible, ac-
cording to the operators.
Twenty other mine operators sent
a long telegram to President Wilson
defining John d. Rockefeller's position
in the matter and explaining his lack
of authority in any matter connected
with the twenty undersigned compa-
MES. They deplored the implication
that John ID. Rockefeller or his son
was in any great measure responsible
for the trouble.
Excerpts from the message to DR..
Foster, signed by the officers of the
three operating companies-Colorad
Fuel and Iron Company, Victor
American Fuel Company and the
Rocky Mountain Fuel Company-fol-
low:
Say Wilson Approved Concessions.
Secretary Wilson attended the most
important part of the meeting In
Governor Ammons's office, November
26, between three striking coal miners
and three representative of the oper-
afn To 61SG1aSlOn
of the form in which Governor Am
mons's proposal for the termination
of the strike should be made to the
miners and operators, and we be-
lieved, approved the ideas of Gov
ernor Ammons there expressed. Gov
ernor Ammons stated that he had
been led to believe that if he could
secure a conference of miners and
operators and acceptance by the oper-
ators of such proposition as ne
made to us, that recognition OF the
union would be waived and the strike
called off. He was much surprised
and considered 1t as evidence of bad
faith that his proposition was not ac-
cepted by the strikers, as 1t was by
the operators. We believe that
through the influence of Secretary
Wilson the strike can be brought to
q close"
The message to President wilson IN
part follows: "In order that you may
be more fully informed with reference
to our position respecting the so
called United Mine Workers of Amer
ica, we deem it proper and timely to
advise you as follows:
1--WE each operate Independently OF
the other, and of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company. The aggregate
production of our mines is between
sixty and seventy per cent. of the
total amount of coal production of
Colorado. Neither John D. Rockefel-
Ter nor John D. Rockefeller, Jr., nor
any controlling stockholder, director
or officer of the Colorado Fuel and
Iron Company has any interest, di-
rectly or indirectly, financially or
otherwise, in our business. Our posi-
ton with respect to the United Mine
Workers of America is absolutely in
dependent of that which has been or
hereafter may be taken either by the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Company or
by it's directors or officers or by Mr..
Rockefeller or John d. Rockefeller, jr.,
although we heartily endorse the posi-
ton they are now taking.
Deplore Attacks on Rockefellers.
I'VE deplore the unjust attacks
upon Mr.. Rockefeller. 1t is neither
CONTINUED on Page 4, Col. 6.