The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-02-14
Too Much So 10 Employ 6,0OC
Miners, Lawyer Declares
After C. F. and I. President
Testifies.
ONE NAN KILLED FOR
EACH l76,S57 TONS
Big Operator Assumes Re-
spOnsibility for Strike c
Breakers But Has None for
Union Organization.
my Ioased wire 10 IzVcninE Herald. ]

gBy Leased Wire To Evening Herald. ]
Denver. Colo, Feb. ~. One man
was killed In the Colorado Fuel and
Iron c0mpanys mines last year Tor
every i16,9b5 tons OF coal produced.
according To the testimony Of J. +.
Welborn. president OF the company.
before the house strike investigating
committee today. Th~ total number
killed In the twenty operating mines
OF the company was ~.
In 1919 twenty were killed. or one
for every i75.s5a tons. In 1911. twen-
ty-two. or one for every lts.302 tons.
In 1919, excluding the two great
disasters at Primero and starkvilie.
SO men were killed. one for every
1852 tons. The Primero and
starkviile disasters, Mr. welborn tes-
tiied, were the only saflouH explo-
sious which had cccwffed In the
mines Of his company since he be-
came head OF the corporation In 1907.
The testimony relative TO fatalities
came after long series Of questions
by james brewster, attorney Tor the
United Mine Workers % America,
touching Mr.. weiborns knowledge Of
mining statistics In America and
abroad In the course ot hin qnes"
tionlng MIR. brewster deciared he
thought Mr.. weiborn too snorant to
be the employer of 5000 mine work.
erE.
In redirect examination Welhorn
was asked by his attorney, Fred Har-
ringion. whether he seh any obiiga-
lions 60 the miners who had taken
employment with the company WIN
the under standing that they were 20
work under open shop conditions,
Yes" replied the witness with en-
phasis. Il feel ao much responsibility
for them that ! shall never ask them
To leave our mines II they don't join
a unior
DO you feel under as much oblisa-
tion to these men a. YOU do TO the
United Mine Workers OF America =
II am under no obligations what
ever to the United Mine Workers. ana
shall be under none NJ long as the
organization retains lIn present meth
DDS"
Mr.. welborn's cross examination
was resumed this morning. The mine
company president said that his COM
pany was surprised that az many men
remained IN the mines as did remain
when the strike was callec.
You realized that this strike would
be n serious matter. did you notl'
asked James Brewster attorney Tor
the striSefs
YES. replied wei5orn.
And yet you would not meet the
officers OF the Omitted Mine WORKERS
for the sake Of preventing this
eteike2"
Ne"
The witness was questioned AT
length regarding the effect OF the
strike, and admitted that eeal produe-
ton in the last months OF 1913 was
seriously curtalied.
DO you thlnk this large number OF
men went out on account OF imasin'
AIRY grievances or threatsp'
MANY men left the state before the
strike WAS called. others quit work
because they believed what they were
told by union agilators; large num-
hers were coerced by threats"
II don't consider that any closed
shop, which prevents ns employing
men who DO not beions 20 union. Il
ever preferable 10 a non union shop,
said Mr. weiboFn, in response 10 q
question.
NJ. brewster asked when the oper.
ators ilrsi ordered rifles for use OF
tho guards
"our fret order of guns was made
between september ~ and 20, hve
DAYS nftcr the flrst order by the United
Mine Workern''
DO you. after rejecting the 7fS-
posai for a conference with the union
feel no responsibility Tor the tragic
events which foilowed2" asked Brew
atcr.
None whatever"
AIR. Welborn. IN response 20 fur
ther questions, denied that Judge J,
a. Northcusi had represented his
company politically IN southern colo'
rado.
a long series OF questions about
reativo fatalities In American and
foreign coal mines nroueht the ad-
MISSION from the witness that he had
not made a study OF foreign condi'
tlnns
without Wishing 10 reflect person
ally upon Mr.. Welborn, 1 thlnk he u