The Sentinel=record., 1914-01-04
STRIKE NEGOTIATIONS END WHEN THEY DECLINE TO
 RECOGNIZE MINERS UNION.
ACTION WAS ANTICIPATED
By the Western Federation of Miners, Who Have Made Long Fight for the Recognition of the Union in the Copper District.

Houghton, Mich, Jan. 3.-I1fforts to end the strike of copper miners by conciliation failed rsnight. John B. Densmore. of the Department of La Dor, so announced after final ef. fort to bring the warning interests 70. gether He did not hesitate to blame his failure in settling the trouble on the uncompromising attitude of the mine owners.
 The rock that split the neeotia- tions and shattered hopes of peace was the question of recognition of the union.
 In nutshell, the question was whether the union men should go back to work with or without dis elimination. The companies refused to do anything but discriminate against members of the union." said Mir. Densmore.
 'It means struggle to the bitter end" said O. N. Hilton, chief coun- sel of the Western Federation of Miners, who has represented Presi- dent C. H. Mover here since the lat ter's sudden departure.
 "The outcome is due entirely to the attitude of the companies. They wanted everything and would concede nothing"
 The unions last word was an offer to withdraw the Western Federation from the field, it's place to be taken by a union affiliated with the Michi- gan State Federation of Labor the United Mine Workers or some simi- lar body This was rejected by the companies.
 The employing interests suggested to Mir. Densmore that a secret vote of the men on strike, if properly safe guarded, would show a majority Of them in favor of returning to work outside the union fold When this was broached to the Federation men there was an immediate refusal to submit the case to such test. Re suits of the negotiations were wired to the secretary of labor by MT. Dens- more tonight He said he would make full report of his efforts after his return to Washington. He has set his departure for tomorrow night.
 Statements by mine managers took practically the same grounds for re- fusal to treat with the unions as that issued in Boston tonight by the exec utive heads of the Calumet and Hecla Company.
 Tt was simply case of asking us to burden ourselves with an orgali- zation whose history is one of vio- lence," said F. w. Denton of the Cop per Range Company The proposals fuges, did not go to the merits of the question and sought to rorce us to recognize indirectly an organization with which we will nave nothing to do and have never treated.
 As d matter of fact. we already have settled this strike. The men now working for us are entitled to every possible consideration and 1t would have been rank ingratitude for the companies to have promised them our protection and then asked them to labor alongside members of the Western Federation. There is no doubt that constant trouble would have resulted between the men, This was condition which we could not and would not overlook.
 "Then, too anything less than elim- ination of the Western Federation from the district would have meant within five years if not sooner we would have had all the work to do over again. There is no doubt in our minds that the first work the Feder- alton members who would be left i'll the mines would be to spread a prop aganda of discontent, follow 1t up with a series of unreasonable de- mands and then start another strike.
 From every consideration of hu- manity to our loyal employees, of self respect on our own part and or Sooo business sense, we could do nothing else than decline to be buncoed uy such alternative plans as were brought to our attention"
 Word of the failure of the negotia- tions spread rapidly through the dis trict. In company circles there was no surprise. Among union leaders there was manifest strong feeling