Evening star., 1914-11-09
Situation in Mexico.

01IuhL1Ou LII 14SAACOe
Turning to the Mexican situation, the
report makes public letter frcm Presi-
dent Gompers to Rafael Zubaran, United
States representative. Mexican constftu-
tionalists." dated July Il of this year
saying the federation, more than any
other American agency except the gov
ernment of the United States, aided the
success of the prospective government,
and urges the withdrawal o. the avowed
eclaration of ''thcse who speak or as
sumo to speak in the name of Gen. Car
rama" that "retribution of the most dra-
CONAN character would be visited upon
those responsible for the overthrow OF
Madero. Such a withdrawal, the letter
added, would have a tranquilizing effect
and tend .'to unite the people of Mexico
in support Of an orderly government"
The report adds: I'VE extend to the
people of Mexico under this new regime
our fluctuations and our best hope for
their welfare and progress"
Lengthy presentations were made OF
conditions in mining fields in West :tr-
tana, including much of the correspond
ence exchanged between operators, en-
ployes and officials of the federal and
state governments.
Summary of Conditions.
Summing up the general situation.
the report says:
The various different movements Of
the miners for improved conditions
have been more conspicuous this past
year than those of any other organiza-
tion. This is due to the intensity with
which the struggles have been waged,
amounting in each instance practically
to civil war: to the number of human
beings, to whom the struggle meant
privation, suffering and losses.
Alleged Feudal System.
"Landholding conditions involved in
some mining districts have enabled
the operators to establish what amounts
to feudal operating system for the
mines. They own vast tracts of lands,
hundreds and even thousands of square
miles in extent, on which the mines are
located The mining companies own
and therefore, control all roads that
| traverse the land. They own the houses
In which the miners live; the villages
made up of these miners; the school
houses to which their children must go
Tor mental training; the churches which
minister to their spiritual needs: the
stores from which they buy their cloth
ing, food and other necessities; the most
ofnces where they get their mail, money
oroers ana conduct their crude banking
transactions. Every detail Of mining
life Is under supervision of the mine
operators through their power of own
ersnlp- In time of strike the mine
operators have the power of eviction
and have forced hundreds of strikers
and their families to seek shelter in
| tent colonies, with the constant danger
OF exposure. There can be no real
! freedom under such conditions of in
dustrial tyranny.
I'm addition to problems arising from
| feudai ownership of land, the mine
| operators have assumed police power
| They employ mine guards to maintain
| their regulations and to guard mine
property. In times of industrial peace
the mine guards serve as police and
| prevent undesirable persons from
trespassing upon the land of the min
| Ing companies. The elastic term tres
pass has been interpreted to mean all
| manner of organizing activities In
times of industrial disputes the mine
guards are increased and more heavily
armed. These conditions beget violence
and industrial disputes in many of
these districts are now practically civil
| war.
Protests Use of Armed Troops.
"The use of armed troops by mine op-
| orators and the power resulting from
1 ownership of large tracts of contiguous
territory and the subversion of civil
government to military rule are some
of the most serious of modern indus
trial problems. We recommend and
urge that the various state federations
of labor endeavor to secure legislation
prohibiting this brutal practice which
is subversive of all industrial justice
and freedom"
Statistical reports show the member
! ship this year to total 2,O2O,671, as
against 1,996.004 last year The one
cent assessment fund to defray ex-
penses of the United Hatters and con-
tempt cases shows that of $15,01S, the
sum of $14,752 has been expended, the
largest item being attorneys fees to
Alton b. Parker for both cases.
amounting to $9,547. Charters issued
IN rionS llnionS har