Arizona republican., 1914-12-13
THE COLORADO
 STRIKE STORY
In Duration, Sacrifice of Life, Property and None tarv Loss, Colorado Strike Greatest in American Mining History
ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATcH]

ton, sacrifice of life, property, and in monetary loss to the state. min CTS union, the coal operators. the miners, railroads and private lndus- tries, the Colorado coal strike, ofti- cially declared off on "Wednesday, has been one of the greatest in the history of American mining.
 The strike in the northern coal fields, of which the statewide strike is continuation, was called on April 4 1911 The statewide strike was called on Sept. B. 1913, and virtually paralyzed the industry ot Colorado. threw the commonwealth into turmoil and finally led to the calling out of the state militia and the importation of federal troops. successively, into the strike territor. 10 preserve order
 The toll of approximately eighteen millions of dollars expended during the strike is shared by miners, op- ators, the union, railroads, state and federal governments as well as private industries. According to un - ion officials more than s3,000,000 has been paid in strike benefits alone. at over s6.000.000
 The strike has been characterized hy an unusual number. of acts of vio- lence and at least siXty-six persons are known to have been killed and about fifty injured as a result of disorders incident to the labor war,
 The battle between striking miners. mine guards and mlitiamen at Lud- low oh April 20. which ended in the destruction of the tent colony. was responsible for the death of twelve children and two women whose bo- dies were found in a pit in the ruins of the site. Subscquest warfare which included attacks upon various mining camps in Las Animas. Huer- fano. Fremont and Boulder counties marked the continuation of strike out : breaks. The arrival of federal troops on April 90, 1914. restored peace.
 State troops were sent into the strike zone oct. %, 1914. when local authorities declared they were un- able to preserve order With the exception of on company stationed at Ludlow and another at Walsen- burg. the state troops were with drawn on April IS, of the following year. The next week however. they were returned. remaining until the arrival of the federal troops
 More than three hundred defend ants are involved in civil and crm- inal suits or, the dockets of federal state and district courts. as result of strike disorders. Twenty seven official and individual inquiries have been made into the cause of tho strike and it's results. with varying conclusions. The inquiry by sub and mining of the house of represen- tatives. conducted in February. and the investigations of the Federa Commission on Industrial Relations now in progress in Denver. arc among the most important. Repre- sentatives of the department of Com merce and Labor. committee Of tho otht' SiN'ituit, AdAiouS Sptldl. Ilp- liticai. labor. religious and fraterns organizations have at different times issued reports concerning the situa tion
 A special session of the state leg islature was called in May last. tt consider the strike. particularly q, provide funds for meeting expense i,,Ct l.. h.. Lot
 strike duty. \ moisture providir, for tho issuance of strike bonds il the sum of million dollars, wa
 passed Some of these bonds hav'
 been disposed of
 The original demands of the strik
 CTS included recognition of the union q ten per cent advance in wages: al | eight hour day: miners to choos
 their checkweighmen; pay for mar
 row and dcad' work: the right {
 trade in stores other than those O the company and d strict enforce
 ment of the state mining laws. Tn demand for recognition of the unio
 was recently waived. in accordan ne with a suggestion of President. Vii son III DTopDSfu three year truce which was accepted by the miner
 but rejected by the operators. Tn
 conduct of the strike during the pas
 IS months has been under the per
 sonal direction of Frank J. Have international vice president of il United Mine Workers of Americ John R. Lawson, international exect tive board member. and John Mo LeDnan. president of District 15 the miners union. j. r. Weibor president of the Colorado Fuel ar Iron Company, D. w. Brown. pres dent .of the Rock Mountain Flu Company and J. C. Osgood. chai man of the board of directors of Il ] Victor America company have act, as representatives of the operator ! These three companies produce mo ! than eighty per cnt of the Colorat ! coal output. About twelve of il ! smaller operators. signed contrac ! with the union.