The chronicle=news., 1914-11-03

his organization, while the man who
makes that inner circle potent by fl
nancing 1t. and seeing that nobody
snail escape its clutches is the mine
operator under this union agree
ment Is it strange that such an
agreement should provoke bitter
fight? Just what other union would
make such demand? What union
composed of intelligent men would
yield to such "a command over their
members. -. :. =. 1t does not
seem as though any enlightened man
can see in such a program anything
that has to do with industrial JUS
tice. .,. =. ~ This is the real
issue o tfhe strike, and has been adj
mitted to be such to me by all par
ties to the controversy. 1t as sure
ly involves the life of the union as il
involves the liberty of the coal oper-
ators.'
With regard to the conflict be-
tween the strikers and the militia
DR.. Berle says: Placing blame for
the initial uses of force is a difficult
matter. 1t is not clear, and probably
never will be to the satisfaction OF
everybody But this much is GER
tain. that the militia of Colorado. are
the most cruelty libeled body of men,
and their officers slandered. beyond
all bounds of reason and justice, If
what evidence | have been able to
gather and sift out, is worth any
thing. Called originally to preserve
order. they did so for months: and
only when the political ends of tho
strikers organization began to pre-
vent the civil administration from
working properly, did the real trou-
Bile begin, II the Colorado militia had
been kept on the spot, properly
equipped and properly supported
from the capitol at Denver. the later
bloody contest would not have oc-
Cured. That seems certain"
In his summing up DR.. Berle pre-
sents clear analysis of the situation
and most powerful statement of the
issues involved
But all these things have for the
moment. sunk into the background,
before the greater and more serious
issue which is. at the present mo-
ment. supreme before all else: and
this is whether there shall be any
civil order and rule of law in the
state of Colorado. The first thing to
settle is whether the kantian maxim
The law that there shall be law
has any validity in the public life
and civilization of Colorado. AS the
case stands now. all things are held
in leash to the rule of the military
forces of the United States. The prac- |
teal Naturalization of a great state |
mentous matter for the people of the |
United States than the right or
wrong of any particular struggle.
.. 50. The state of Colorado
must settle, before 1t settles all else. |
the question whether 1t Is to have a
state administration which will up
hold law and will maintain law and
order. and will do this without the
of the president of the
United States and the military forces
of the union. Once
sOuuu anu OiouSuls law icspt't'hS
is installed In the |
capitol at Denver. the adjudication
Of the various questions will come |
apace. The state OF Colorado owes |
it to itself and the country at large |
to secure the withdrawal of the Unit |
ed States troops, and to secure the |
of its own affairs. in |
a lawful manner, and to this end
every citizen of Colorado holds his
serious and earnest efforts. not only |
for Colorado's sake but for that of
the nation as well. 1t
appears to me that now there can be
but one opinion among men of up
right intentions. and true loyalty to
the ideals OF justice and fair dealing
between man and man. That issue
is whether Colorado shall be gov
erned by military power and the per-
sonal direction of the President of
the United States or by her own adj
ministration, governor, legislature,
courts and laws, as becomes u civil
lied state. To this question there
seems to be but one answer. Colora-
do should at once resume her own
government and put down all en-
deayors to make her the bloody bat
tlefield for private interests, whcth-
err they call themselves labor inter-
ests or any other. That is the para
mount problem in Colorado at this
moihent.' -.