Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-01-14
CHARLES H. MOYER
QUITS MICHIGAN
Head of w. F. of M. Is on Way to
Washington Meet.
REPORTS TELL OF CONDITIONS
Secretary of Labor Wilson Gives Out
Findings of U. S. investigators in
Copper Observation-Disclosures Man.
ayers for Not Ending Trouble.

Houghton, Mich, Jan. 12-President
Charles HI. Meyer left Hancock on his
way to Washington to attend the meet
ing Of the executive committee of the
American Federation of Labor, which
meets on January 49,
Meyers determination to leave the
copper district was a surprise to the
leaders of the strikers here and to the
citizens. The grand jury which has the
investigation of the strike in charge
completed it's work and with the pos
sible exception of another witness
there is nothing further for it to do,
except formulate it's report and vote
the indictments.
Federal Report Made Public.
Washington, Jan. 12.-Secretary of
Labor Wilson made public the report
of Walter B. Palmer, an investigator
of the department, on the strike situa-
ton in the northern Michigan copper
region.
At the same time he officially an
nounced, in view of reports by John B.
Densmore and John A. Moff1tt, federal
mediators, that they were unable to
bring the warning factions together,
that the department had reached the
end of its rope and could do nothing
further to bring about an end to the
trouble.
Densmore and Moffitt each reported
that the stumbling block met was the
refusal of the mine managers to take
back any of the strikers unless they
repudiated the unions
Further Action Up to Congress.
Whatever further action shall be ia
gen must be in accordance with meas
ures adopted by congress. 1t is under
stood the reports of the three investi-
gators will be printed and thus made
available for consideration by the SEN
ate and house of representatives.
Members of both these bodies are pre-
pairing to agitate the matter following
the reconvening of congress today.
The statement of Secretary Wilson
accompanying the release of the re
ports expresses no opinion and makes
no recommendation for further efforts
to ameliorate conditions in the mines.
He declined to state his views or his
plans for publication.
Densmore Efforts Were Futile.
Solicitor Densmore, in his report,
said he obtained authority from H. U.
Hilton, general counsel Of the Western
Federation of Miners, and Claude Tay
/ lor, president of the Michigan Fedora
ton of Labor, who represented the
or 10 10
which the miners should enjoy an OPP
portunity to present grievances
through a committee; that the wages
and hours, three dollars minimum, and
eight and three-quarters hours pro-
/ posed by the operators go into effect
at once, instead of later; that the mi
ners be taken back to work without
discrimination on account of member
ship in any union, and that there be
no discrimination among them on ac-
count of membership in any union
after their return to work.
After six hours discussion with a
committee of business men Mr.. DenS
more said they told him they would
not only refuse to urge the plan of set
Element upon the operators, but would
seriously object to the operators ma
king any settlement that included the
taking back of any old employees or
others who were members of the
Western Federation of Miners, unless
they first renowned their union,
turned in their cards to the company
and signed an agreement not to join
or belong to the union"
There being no remote possibility"
Densmore added, 'of a settlement on
the basis above described and no pos
sibility of recession on the part of the
operators or striking miners, my eff
forts to restore peace came to an ned
Report Covers All Points.
summary of the investigation by
Palmer covers 26 phases of the strike
situation, beginning with the causes,
wages, hours of labor, and including
the Western Federation of Miners, VIC
lence, the militia and armed guards,
injunctions against picketing, and end
ing with the earnings of the company.
Dictagraph Used on Strikers.
Houghton, Mich, jan 12.-The die
tagraph, the little instrument which
has played an important part in the
big exposures of recent years, will
probably be the greatest informer in
the settlement of the Michigan copper
country strike troubles. The Burns
detective agency is now in the strike
district, and has been since a short
time after the strike declaration. 1t
became known that a dictagraph was
in the law headquarters of the West
ern Federation Of Miners for five
weeks last summer, when the seat of
the trouble was Calumet
The Burns men were originally
hroupht into the strike DISTRICT nv tho |