The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-14
STRIKES ARE LIKE WAR.
LEADER SAYS THEY SHOULD BE
AVOIDED TO LAST.
Jno. Il. Lawson Gives Stirring Tale of
Alleged Wrong and Oppression in
Mine Fields OF Colorado.

DenVer, COL, Feb. 10.--A story Of
the Colorado coal strike from the
viewpoint of John r. Lawson, one of
the leaders Of the miners was late to-
day told before the congressional in
vestigating committee. The Colorado
member Of the international execu-
tive board Of the United Mine Work.
ers OF America was allowed full
swing.
Strikes are hell. We do not be-
lieve in them unless they are un-
avoidable. They injure not only the
strikers and their wives and children,
but the coal operators and the pub
lie"
In these terms Lawson announced
what he said was the United Mine
Workers policy in labor disputes. He
outlined the methods by which, as he
alleged, the United Mine Workers call
strikes. then entered on the history
OF the coal mining industry in Colo
RADIO, from the time Of the strike Of
1903. which was lost by the miners
I'm that strike" he said. "the oper-
ators brought in gunmen-thugs who
had been guilty of almost every crime
on the calendar--to intimidate the
miners. They were successful. Some
strikers were frightened into going
back to the mines. Others were scat
tered.
Many were deported. To fill the
places Of the strikers the companies
brought in strikebreakers. But soon
these very strikebreakers discovered
they had been put into mines where
conditions were unendurable and they
appealed to our organization. They
wanted to join the union: to strike
for their rights. We took them in,
but advised them not to strike. We
realized they could not win. An or
ganizer took his life in his hands
when he went to the camps. Some
organizers have been killed in south
ern Colorado"
Were any Of the murderers tried ?"
interrupted Representative Byrnes.
YES they were tried by hand
picked juries," Lawson announced
The operators picked the juries and
also the sheriffs. have seen an
English speaking man tried for mur-
der and on the jury were II Mexi-
cans who could not speak English"
The witness told Of the calling Of
the strike Of 1913 in which, he claim
cd. SO per cent OF the miners walked
out within a week.
THE operators had an army Of
from 600 to 700 gunmen in Las Ami
mas and Huerfano counties" Lawson
said. They had what is called the
death special an armored automo-
bile in which was mounted one of
their machine guns and which car
ried squad Of private detectives.
We got rifles to protect ourselves"
Lawson told Of various disorders in
the strike zone. He gave an account
Of the battle at the Bordes tent col
ony in October in which one man was
killed and two wounded
There had been some shooting in
the morning and about noon," he said,
but in the afternoon everything was
quiet. Then a crowd OF men sudden
ly appeared from Trinidad. some
mounted and some riding in the
death special They had two ma
chine guns opened fire on the tents
came within the tent colony bearing
q white flag. He said: Boys, I'm
a union man. Are you good union
men or scabs? Then men in the
camp replied that they were union
men. Well. you'd better look out,
because they're going to shoot you
up
Suddenly he walked back about 10
feet and hurled the white flag on the
ground. The next instant the two ma
chine guns opened fire on the test
colony. One man was shot through
the head as he was trying to get
away. A boy was hit nine times"
did any Of your men reply to
the fire." committeeman asked.
81 have reason to believe few
men got their guns took refuge in a
ditch and fired back" was the reply.
THE best evidence Of this is that, al
though there were SO guards and only
"a men in the tent colony. the guards
went back TO Trinidad without taking
a prisoner"
Lawson's testimony was uncom
pleted when the session adjourned.
INGOLD BEATS RECORD.
Aviator Remains In the Air Over IL