The Hartford herald., 1914-05-13
Draws Strong Picture OF
Present Conditions
IN VARIOUS FIELDS OF LABOR
Tells What Has Made Him
Doubt Christianity At
Present Day.
WANTS QUESTIONS ANSWERED

United Mine Workers OF America
has written to the editor of the
Louisville Herald asking that the
following open letter Ito any minis
ter of the gospel be published. He
raises the question whether John ID.
Rockefeller can evade personal re-
sponsibility, although protesting
Christianity, for conditions now oh
tanning IN war-torn Colorado.
The letter follows:
Central City. Ky, May 2, 1914.
"To Any Minister of the Gospel:
81 was reared by devout, Chris
tian parents and taught during my
tender years to observe the Golden
Rule. My father having been a
prominent minister in Tennessee
and Western Kentucky, | naturally
took deep interest in Baptist lit
erature, and during my adolescence
took a great deal of interest in the
religious work of Mr.. Jno. ID. Rookie
feller. and one OF his sons, who |
think was very prominent Sunday
School worker in New York City
several years ago.
IL pointed with great deal of
pride to the fact that the richest
man in the world was member of
the same church to which my father
belonged, and conscientiously be-
lieved that Mr. Rockefeller was a
great and good man.
AT that time | knew nothing of
economic conditions in my country.
The struggle between human and
property rights had not become so
bitter at that time and, to be per-
fectly frank, knew very little about
them.
Upon the death of my father,
was compelled to sell my labor, and
within a few years fate decreed that
| should take an active part in the
great labor movement affecting the
class to which belong.
1T was then that | began to see
matters from an altogether different
view point. went to church and in
the front pews | saw wealthy mine
owners take an active part in the
services, who | knew We're stock
holders in great corporation that
was actually stealing from 500 to
200 pounds of coal off every car
loaded by their slavish employees.
II saw deacons of the church
kneel and pray for sinners. when |
knew positively that they had armed
thugs hired to murder any man who
dared contend for his constitutional
rights. | heard men pray to God to
save the victims of the white slave
trafiic, when | knew they were re-
ceiving rent from houses rented to
the very victims for whom they so
fervently prayed.
Then | began to read of the re-
Voting conditions in the mines,
mills and factories of the country;
of the child-slaves in the cotton
mills of the South Later, | went to
Colorado and on the Sabbath day,
possibly at the very hour when Mr..
John ID. Rockefeller was teaching
Sunday School in Cleveland, o., II
saw band of black hearted mur-
derers marching forth in battle ar
ray to murder men. women and
children, who We're being paid sal
airy by soulless corporation of
which this same great and good man
in whom ! took such "a deep interest
when child, was the largest stock
holder.
Then 1t was that sudden change
came upon me. | began to doubt
the sincerity of the man In whom
once had so much confidence. Some
evil spirit drove the question
straight home. rs there such a
thing as Christianity" was tread
ing, possibly, on dangerous ground.
] am still on dangerous ground and
] want some man of God to answer
these questions;
Can a man who owns stock In a
that enslaves and robs !
It's employees escape personal respon-
sibility for the crime?
Can man who owns stock in a
corporation that hires thugs to mur-
der men. women and children acquit
himself of wrongdoing by placing
The management of his business af-
fairs in the hands OF other men?
us there such a thing as a sin of
omission, and II so. is he who re-
uses to prevent murder when he
las the power to do So not euiltv of