Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-04
Colorado s Misuse
 of the Militia
CONTENTION OF FORMER sENA-
 TOR THOMAS M. PATTERSON
GUARD DsTRIKEBREAKERS
Says Governor Ammon. Changed His Orders After He Had Called Them Out to Protect Property and They Protected strikebrsakers.

Denver, Col, Dec. Ex-Governor Am mons of Colorado changed his orders to the state militia after he had called them out to protect property in the Colorado coal strike, said Thomas M. Patterson, former United States, sena- tor, here otday. testifying before the federal industrial relations commits sion. After sending the state troops out with orders to protect property and men who were at work and strik- CTS who desired to return to work, the governor changed his instructions and ordered the militia to act under the Mover decision and to protect strike breakers. These orders according to MT. Patterson, made Adjutant General Chase supreme in the strike districct. Mistakes were made by all parties to the trouble, MT. Patterson said.
 Declares Gov. Ammons Erred
 ''The strike is a mistaken system" !" he declared. Nevertheless, 1t is the only recourse of the men. The op- orators made a mistake in not meet ing the employees. Governor Ammons made mistake in using the militia President Wilson alone saw the point when he directed the federal troops strikebreakers.''
 Criticized State Troops
 MT. Patterson severely criticized the
 
 the Mover decision and said that he had prepared for submission to the legislature a bill providing compulsory arbitration.
 You believe compulsory arbitration would be less likely to break down the Newlands act, now at work upon the eastern railroad situation?" Operators Impervieus With any ordinary body of men, said MT. Patterson, "or any ordinary corporation, care not of what wealth, the views of the president of the Unit ed states or his suggestion of a board of citizens would have wonderful effect, but can clearly see that such body of men as are represented by the operators here would be abso- lutely impervious to what such a board would do.'
 You believe the Newlands act would fail here2"
 Operators Believe in Divine Rights
 Certainly It is not compulsory These operators believe in the divine right of legal rights"
 In attacking the acts of the militia and the powers conferred by the Moy- CT decision. MT. Patterson said:
 That decision has done more to demoralize society where these indus | trial disputes arise than any other agency. I think, where you put the lives of a community at the will of | a mere soldier and suspend the opera l tion of the courts, that the soldier is more than human if he does not abuse it"
 Arrests Made Without Court Proceed
 ings
 He stated that after the order to the l militia had been changed the troops were engaged in taking strikebreakers | into the mines and arrests were made without court proceedings. "All of these acts," he said, ''by the militia, were done under the Mover decision. Some authority ordered the enlistment of 'gunmen' mine guards and men under obligations to the op- eratorsr in the militia-men who had absolutely no right in the militia oi any state"
 MT. Patterson declared that in con- ferences the operators had spoken ir contempt of their employees as lawless easily led, ignorant, unable to speak English. Yet, he maintained, the op- orators had proffered them and made | efforts tof put non-English speaking people into their mines to minimize l the possible cooperation of the men