The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-01-07

'ii' I'NUil ldlEtiA OF the conditions lu
which The people live
Governor Hears Federation Men.
The Western Federation of Miners,
through IT'S local presidents and rank
ana hlr Of It's organization. this after
noon presented its side OF the strike
controversy to Governor Ferris Oc-
cupyinr the stand we.e President vii
liam Riclard Of the Calumet Union.
Dan sullivan, president Of the Han
cock Union Secretary Antlla OF the
Calumet union ana others.
Before the inquiry began. the GOV
ernor explained the presence Of At
torney General Fellows an the inves-
ugation Mr.. Fellows arrived today
The governor said Nh Fellows is not
here az his invitation, nor was he sent
for bat he was simply a guest. The
governor said that the entire afternoon
viii be given to the side Of labor. and
tomorrow morning, beginning at Q
O'Clock he Will ask the mine operators
70 appear before him. He concluded
his Introduction with the declaration
that he wanted the labor heads To
make such statements as they wished
to make 10 the governor. Claude q.
TAYLOR, president Of the Michigan
Federation Of Labor. acted as repre-
sentative of the laoorers.
Dan Sullivan on Stand
Dan Sullivan, president Of the Han
cock union, or officially president OF
the district board. was the first called
upon. He testified that the miners
were pressed INTO orgauizing. and there
was no other organization except the
metal workers with which they. could
affiliate Therefore they made il their
business to join the Western Fedora
tion Of Miners. lie said working con-
ditions were becoming hard ana thev
We're being pushed and pulled around
He said they asked for a conference
with the operators and were refused
by receiving no reply 10 their letters.
He added the local unions were then
organized into district union and the
latter was asked TO make and name
any day they saw lit TO claim a strike.
This meeting was held July %, but be
fore that date a referendum vote was
taken ou the strike in which between
nine and ton thousand asked Tor 70
Walkout. At the meeting July 2g.
which was held in Calumet, the strike
was called FOR o'clock the next
morning. Since then every morning the
strikers paraded lie said that while
officially parading they were assaulted
10y Waddel men, gunner and soldiers.
The speaker said he was assaulted bv
soldiers and beaten with a club He
said General Abbey had called him AMI
another striker for "a conference and
told them not To parade. Sullivan told
the general that they were peaceful
and that they We're on "a public high
way and There was no law 10 stop them
from paradiug The next morning he
said their parades were dispersed by
soldiers and arrests We're made. lie
said many We're arrested ana hauled
uut of the ranks for no orrense ana
many We're beaten ON their way 10 Jail
This continued ne said. until the IN
functions were issued. since which
there We're uo parades. lie said tho
strikers submitted TO cruel beatings
and that they were struck with brass
metals and slugs
Sullivan said hr worked IN the mines
for sixteen years and that he had
been employed iu the department OF
work lie said the wages
have been none too good and il was
almost impossible to Saw, anything Hc
said the WAGES he last received We're
$2.tN day that he began work at $l.Go
a day When he worked at Franklin
he Was receiving So month and after
a strike several years ago this was in
creased to Sj6. A strike at Quincy later
resulted m an increase from 90 10 g.,
dsuars q month lie later went To
Isle Royale whore ne said conditions
were also unfavorable.
William Rieksrd Testifies.
William Rickard, president Of the
Calumet local made tie assertion
that if il was up to the Western ped
Grafton of Miners officials there would
have been no strike" The governor
asked him who called the strike. He
replied the district union did the most.
Rickard said conditions in the copper
country became So bad that the men
organized. lie said one Of the rules of
the e. 4 H. Mining company was that
no man over 40 years of age will be
employed. The wages OF the Calumet
IS Heria and its subsidiaries were fixed
hy contract and the miner did not
know what be was going TO get.
Attorney General Fellows asked
Ei'kard TO explain the term CON
tract" RiCkard briefly outlined the con-
ditions of the contract Continuing he
said il miner made anything ons
C..;....-l -. Sal o.. g., o.t