Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-15
Congressional Committee Gels
More Facts Regarding Strike
of Union Miners in Southern
Colorado Fields,
SENATOR SHAFR0TH
SUBJECT OF COMMENT
c, L, Baum Says Then Cow
ernor Of State Made No Eff
fort to Check Disorders or
Protect Life and Property,

tay p-smna louHe a. SPECIAL LsAsso w,ss,
Denver. Fch. a. a tax of one cent
per ton ou AN tho pual mined by tho
principal operators I'D Colorado. since
the strike began last september ha.
been used TO pay tne expenses of
guarding the mines. according to tha
testimony today az g. II Baum bee
fore the house commdteo inyesupatlp4
the labor war Mr. Baum, who m
president of the Consolidated Coai
and coke company operating "a mine
in northern Coiorauo, said that ho
Almsclf had contributed TO this de-
7-onse fun0. and that he understood the
other operator, had done the same.
The money, he said was sent To- e.. W.
Babcock, vice president ANA treasurer
OF the Rocky Mountain Fuel conn
puny
"Do you assume any responsibility
for the purchase of machine guns and
ammunition 9" the Witness was asked.
"lf any of the money was used fos
The purchase of machine gums and ann
munUon, ! assume tho responslbllity' 30
replied Mt Baum.
Earlier no his examination. after dee
failing The negotiations Win thc
Omitted Mine Workers of America
which preceded the calling OF tEc
strike IN the northern fields Inv 1910.
Mr. Baum told of various alleged inc
stances of violations and the issuance
of am injunction against picketina hy
Judge Greeley W Whbfori I'M the
district court of Denver Alleged
violations of this Injunction led Go tho
Imprisonment Of number of strike
lcadefs ON contempt charges
The Witness created something OF i
sensation and incidentally involved
The committee in an embarrassing an
lemma when, in roeounting the in-
junction PROCEEDINGS he introduced
an affidavit signed by w. E Wilson,
"a nou-uniou miner. ANA which he said
was presented GO the court with the
application for the order This uft-
davit after dealing at length with ale
legged disturbed conditions in thc
strike field asserted that John III
shulroth, then governor ana now
rntol states senator had aided and
ubcued in the violence hy refusing go
send troops into the trouble zone.
"Do You believe this charge against
Senator Shalr0th. asked mcmbor
of the committee
well he didn't deny ID iu the court
on through the press" responded
Blum
Don't you think The governor may
mot hayc wanted 20 rush into pring
with dculul of charge Of ths
knde"
Gle was la print good deaf" ob.
served the witness
Chairman Foster said "Here's 70
witness put ON hy the operators. who
says he believes the then governor of
the state aided IN heinous crime.
This seems serious to the chairman
don't know What anybody else thinks
Of No."
Finally Representative Austin mp
eestcd that the affidavit ana all ref-
cronco to senator shafrolh be- stu. .cltou
from the records This was done on
Tho witness was questioned as ,o
thr use uf the state school land under
lease by his company He admitted
that hc mined in The deeper veins
below the surface coal. and that iu
consequence the upper veins caycd in
How much coal have you do.
stroyed n this manuor2'
The witness estimated that the to-
tai was about 100000 toms. 'Ic said
this coal could not be mined md a
profit under present conditions but.
that perhaps ia 100 years it could be-
utilized
Frank T.. Cove. attorney for the
operators at one point la the cxami-
nation asked the witness if ho was
willing io negotiate with the United
Mine Workers Of America
70 om heartily IN favor of organ
ized labor replied Baum However.
] have told MIR Lawson and other of.
ficers of the order that viii never
sign contract with the United Mine
Workers of America which contem
pilates the discharge Of any Of the men
becauso they don't wish 10 join o.
union have miners who hato
worked tor me for seven years. ana
under 100 circumstances win ana
charge thcm simply because they do
NOT belong to an organization
There was another awkward mo
ment drrlue the testimony OF Harry
T. Kelly United States district at-
torncy for Colorado who was called /
as ID witness for the strikers j.. r f
costlcan. attorney for the miners n
deavorod to scture from The wtnca1
a full account Of the circumstances
the erand jury lnveslgn
tion uf mo strike which resulted in #
the returning al Pueblo last Docem /
ber OF indictments agaiusi number
of labor men.