The labor world., 1914-08-22

possible BY continuAa AGITATION.
Bishop Contradicted.

possible by ceniinu4a Asatation. ..5s &
Bishop Contradicted.
t, The second letter foil lowed a few
days later, and IL signed by James
& q. Brewster, who will be recognised
as leading churchman and social
worker. Mr.. Brewster, also address,
Ing, the secretary Of labor, points sout
that 1.-The hrst and third signers Of
this open letter are dignitaries of
the church commonly known as the
Episcopal church, He then quoted
at length from the resolutions of gen-
eral convention relating to social
Justice and declared that ''as a lay
communicant Of the Episcopal church
who has studied for several years
our local complex conditions, / should
be derelict in duty did ! fail to- direct
your attention to, certain. erroneous
statement of fact and to certain un-
warranted implications contained in
this open letter."
Questions Citizenship.
Mr.. Brewster quotes also from an
editorial in The Living Church, drawn
out by these resolutions. 1.-The gen.
tlemen signing this open. letter. he,
says, first aver that they are citizens
of Colorado. Are they sure Of this?
One of them is commonly reported
to have declined for over thirty years
to become a citizen. How recently
has he changed his .mind?'
With respect to the disarming of
the mine guards, he charges that
though they were "disarmed as mine
guards. they were re-armed az en-
listed militianaen, were spaid by both
the coal operators and the state, re-
ceiving the larger pay from the oper-
ators.". The use Of the mine. oper-
ators' employees as deputy sheriffs and
militiamen was one Of the potent
causes of what these churchmen and
educators call ''unproyoked violence"
zone at least of these spies, under
operators pay while at the same
time drawing union benefits, reported
regularly to mine-guard-mil
and appeared as q witness for the
operators before the congressional
committe under the supervision of
this same mine-guard-m -militiaman."
How About Ludlow?
With respect to the charge of as
saults and wanton destruction of pro-
perty, he asks what the writer's Of
this open letter have to offer for the
burning and looting of the Ludlow
tent colony by representatives of the
state, and for their alleged instances
of brutality, including also violation
Of the flags of truce. For each Of the
charges that he makes he cites the
pages OF the record of the congress
siona1 investigating committee on
which the evidence can be found.
Mr.. Brewster does not condone vio-
lence. He says, 1T Is deplorable;'
it's wickedness retards our progress
towards that day when democracy
may be fully realized in our land and
the present prejudice and injustice
will be supplanted by mutual under
standing, sympathy, and just. dealing.
But to speak of the violence of the
Colorado strikers as 'unprovoked,' to
charge them with the entire respon-
sibility for it, is a mookery of truth.
Mine guards, traitors, and spies pro-
voked violence, but there is yet a
deeper and more fundamental pro-
vocation, and that is long years of
violation of law by the. operators"
49,. Statements Disproved: :.r .
Mr.. Brewster quotes figures to: dis
prove the statement Of the previous
letter that only a. minority Of the
employees are striking. citing further
evidence which he. quotes. that ":en1y
from 30 to 33 per cent Of the COM
pany's former employees were at
work Ave months after the strike was:
called. and declaring that, the facts:
go considerably beyond these figures.
In conclusion he asks the secretary
that it he should use his influence to
call off the strike as he is requested
to do, he will 'for the sake Of
justice. as we'll as for your own sake,
assign reasons for your action which
will hear examination in the light of
truth. THE Living Church.