The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-07
SECURES BEST MEN
TO REPRESENT HIM
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Dis
cusses His Responsibility
in Strike Region.
MATTER OF GRAVE CONCERN
Gives His Views of Labor Con
ditions in Testimony Before
House Committee.

Warrington, April G--John D..
Rockefeller. Jr., sociologist and phlan-
throplc worker. heir to multi millions.
director In the Colorado Fuel and Iron
Company, where a bloody miners
strike exists. was asked to-day by Il
House Investigating committee:
Whit have you done to end this
Colorado coal strike
II have done nothing practically"
Haid MIR. Rockefeller. so long as We
have officers there, we trust them and
let them handle the situation I have
taken deep interest In tho situation.
We have large sums Of money invest
cd there. and the existing conditions
haze been Of grave concern to us.
All we can do is to keep In touch with
our officers representing us. When
We believe they arc not doing what Is
right. II Is our duty to take the mat
ter up
Mr. Rockefeller admitted he did not
know what wages were paid his Col
orado coal mine employees. but had
been informed by trusted officers they
received as high or higher wages than
PAID 10 similar workmen by other en-
ployers. and. II this Is shown 70 be IN
true Will have nothing further to
do With the man who has made his
report to u.s.
This strike Will cost our company
Sl.oCo.000." estimated Mr.. Rockefeller.
Men Ought to &c Protected.
NJ Rockefeller said he did not
know that machine guns and armed
detectives had been sent into the strik-
ing Colorado district TO !nti!nidate the
miners IF ] had anything 10 ray on
that subject. ] should say that our.
men ought to be protected" announced
DIR. Rockefeller with squared chin.
would tell our officers 10 protect our
men would not tell them how 10
protcct--just protect"
Did your officers authorize the pur-
chase OF machine guns and the hiring;
or detectives to use on strikersT' de-
1Handed Chairman Foster, OF the Mines
and Mining Committed
i do not know. that would be ler,
10 the officers" said Mr.. Rockefeller.
quietly.
Are you a dummy directoryo sud
oen!y demanded Sir. Foster
4 do not SO regard myself a.
rrcIors duty is TO nnd the ablcst men
possible TO operate the business. md
trust them so long as they are worthy
OF trust"
cross-cxam!ned by the committee.
Mr. Rockefeller admitted he had no,
attended meeting OF the c.oiorido
uel and Iron Company directors for
Years and had no reason for visiting
INC Colorado property during the p.st
ten years
One Dividend In Ten Yenrs.
The company. he said. had declared
II 80 per cent dividend In 1913. hu,
this was the only dividend in ten
years. On the board OF directors ne
!isted as indirect Representatives." OF
,hc iEockcteiier interests, J.. 81 Bowers.
j. Weiborn. J. H. Mckcnnon. Starr
!. Murphy and Jerome b. Green.
Mr.. Rockcfcilcr outlined his fathers
holdings In the securities OF The Col
o!ado Fuel ana Iron Company thus:
common stock, l39.Sc7 out Of 34a,
800 shares; preferred stock. 7.si3
shares out OF 10000 shares Bonds:
Colorado Industrial Company. per
cents sli,i5o.0O0 out OF S33.I37.o00
Other holdings were Colorado Fuel
ana Iron Company general per cents
S3Gf.0o0 out of 35.G3S 900
Mr.. Rockefeller was unrunied by the
sarcastic comments of his invcstiCa-
tors, and his answers were suavc and
noncommittal when Il came TO demands
for intimate information rs to the re-
lations between the Rockefeller inter
csts, business management and it's
employees
II conduct my business" he an