Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1914-05-28
.unee ADVOCATE OF COLORADO
MILITIA SPEAKS ABOUT THE
STRIKE DISTRICT
WITNESS BEFORE COMMIsSl0N
ADMITS HAVING CALLED UPON
the STANDARD OILS NEW
YORK OFFICE
COlONEL's SEARCH FAILS
sre,ksRs FAIL TO PRESENT TO
HIM MEN WHO FlRsoAT
- THE SOLDIERS


;srt@Pf'
New York, May 2S.-The ieuel~'
troops could not be withdrawn iion'
colorado without danger, ACCORDING y
testimony given today by Major hu,
ward j Bouhton, Judge advocate %
.sa colorado military district pefore
,he federal commission on industrial
ra,at,ons in session here. MAJOR
pong,ton said he had been sent Ny
Governor Ammons and by his own
commanding Office rof the Coiorau0
I,+,ona, Guard to enlighten PUBIC
a,n;n which had been inflamed py
nress reports. He was chairman "
~, ,oi,itarv commission appointed py
covarnor Ammons to investigate 'he
conduct of the National Guard at Lua-
low. ,,,on
rho witness said it was his opinion
tho mine owners had yielded 10 'no
strikers IN every
recognition of the union Tne hihe
workers had received far trea'ihen'
81 the hands of their employers.
Major Boughton admitted that siii's
ha had been in New York, he nau
been in conference at rs Broadway
standard Oil headquarters and tha'
bsd no interest and had. not con-
of tbe mine workers in this city. AT
tennis we're made by A. B. Garret-
con Of the committee to show that 1he
major favored mining interests anu
had not interests and had not con-
cerned himself sufficiently with the
other elements in the dispute. Tne
witness, in giving a narrative OF the
ludlow incident, in some cases exon
Grated the National Guard and In oth-
ers. such as the setting fire to tents
and the treatment of one Of the Greek
strike leaders, affirmed that the ac-
tions of the military were inexcusaple.
Were the discharged miners told
why they were discharged" Major
Boughton was asked.
I'm every case, SO far as l know.
ut is true, is it," inquired Mr.. Gar
feSson, that public opinion in Colo
rado has looked on the National Guard
as a body thoroughly in sympathy with
the mine owners?"
sThat has been the unfortunate
opinion in Colorado" answed Major
Boughton, and it has been the Fhiet
cause of this whole calamity" ''''I
Major Boughton refused to be drawn
into an argument over the merits OF
the cause of the mine workers.
"Was not the American revolution
called a rebellion" asked Mr.. Garrett
son, land If the mine worKers are
figHtin9 against wrongful oppression
by something masquerading as law
and government is this not the same
sort of a rebellion?''
THAT is not for me to say" replied
the witness. The major also refused
to criticise the findings of other inves
ttgators. rs
ssWas it not felt by the people Of
Colorado that your investigating com
mittee was appointed with the pur
pose. of covering up some of the ac
tions during the strike p
NO"
Mrs. J. Borden Hartman, one OF the
members Of the commission, asked
him if he thought. peace would evel
be possible while the representatives
of the law were the mine guards who
were in the employ of the companies.
Not while there is strike" sait
Major Boughton.
"Fake"-YeiIs Lindsey
Major Boughton had hardly left th'
stand when Judge Lindsey, who cam'
to New York in the hope of discuss
ing the strike with John D. Roclxefel
Ter. Jr, jumped to his feet and de
clared that a great many statements
of the witness were entirely false