The Sentinel=record., 1914-02-10
ARKANSAS REPRESENTATIVE TO HEAD PROBE COMMITTEE IN
 CALUMET STRIKE.
BEGINS THE WORK AT ONCE
Miners Will Be Heard First-AIIege That Horrible Conditions and Low Wages Characterised Their Service in Copper Country.

Hancock, Mich. Feb. 9.-Federal investigation of the conditions in tae copper country was formally insti- Tor of Colorado, Csey of Pennsyl- vania and Howell of Utah, members of the house subcommittee on mines and mining.
 Meeting in the public hall of this little mining city, into which had gathered persons of every national ity represented in this region, the inquisitors disposed of the formal- ties of organization in brief time and lhen got down to the business of taking testimony.
 Chairman Taylor explained tersely the purpose of the inquiry and invit- ed all persons who could shed any light on the controversy to testify. O. N. Hilton. appearing for the Western Federation of Miners, de- clared that inasmuch as the commit tee had decided that the strikers side would be heard first he would suggest that the causes leading up to the alleged condition he the first subject of inquiry as necessary to determine the justice or injustice nf the miners contentious resulting in the strike He also pictured the sit uation as he viewed it and said the miners would prove that conditions under which they worked were ap- palling
 In assuring the committee that the mining companies would lend every assistance in getting at the truth Allan F. Reese, senior counsel for 1 the companies said HiltOn's state ment was Ca fair type of the cam paign of misrepresentation and false hood which has been characteristic of the situation from the inception of the strike.
 The committee decided to take Up the subject of inquiry in regular ord CT, Chairman Taylor and Mir. Howell both expressing the opinion that the existence of the conditions alleged should be proved before they could properly inquire into the cause,
 Wm. J. Rickard. president of the Calumet local of the Western Fedora tion of Miners was the first to take the stand. He gave his age as Al years and said he had worked for mining companies since he was II years old. He had barely begun his narrative when the committee ad- iourned until tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock. Richard was one of the strikers witnesses summoned to show underlying causes and was heard because only these witnesses were ready.
 We are prepared to show" said Mir. Hilton in his opening statement, that for a long number of years there have been engaged in the mines boys from 12 to l6 years or age and that there has been an un- paraleled condition of affairs. l be- lieve we can show that many who entered the mines as boys and who have worked all the time up to the present date, never have averaged S3 a day for their work Many have large families. In numerous lnstan- ces they have worked under appal- ling conditions
 "We will show that it has been impossible for men to get work un' less they traded at certain stores he continued. When they were hopelessly in debt they were denied houses to live in unless they con tinued to patronize these stores. We will show that the wages paid have been lower and meaner than those of the underpaid labor of the old world. Conditions so startling Will be revealed that they seem to us complete justification ot the strike
 Mir Hilton declared the rate of mortality in these mines were among the highest known in mining; that hammers were compelled to push cars along poor tracks as much as Il miles daily and that they never had been paid living wages.
 He said many of the miners were compelled to work "in verta0le ln- ferno" and often had to be taken out unconscious. The bad ventila- ton in some of the mines and no water to drink except. that which seeped through cracks in the rocks A comparison of the wages paid here and elsewhere will be present