Las Vegas optic., 1914-11-09
THE WAR is CONDEMNED By THE
AMERICAN LABOR FEDERATION

ranza1 that ''retribution of the most
dracenian character would be visit
ed upon those responsible for the
overthrow of Madero. Such a with.
drawal, the letter added, would have
tranquilizing effect aud tend ito
unite the people of Mexico in support
OF an orderly government"
The report adds: we extend to
the people of Mexico under this new
regime our felicitations and our best
hopes for their welfare and progress. :
Lengthy prosecutions were made Of
conditions in mining fields in West
Virginia, Colorado, Michigan and
Montana, including much of the cor
|respondence exchanged between op-
orators, employees and officials of the
federal and state governments. Sum.
ming up the general situation the re-
port says:
"The various different movements
of the miners for improved conditions
have been more conspicuous this past
year than those Of any other organi-
zatlon. This is due to the intensity
with which the struggles have been
waged, amounting in each instance
practically to civil war; to the number
of human beings to whom the strug-
gle meant privation, suffering and
losses.
Land holding conditions involved
in some mining districts have enabled
the operators to establish what
amounts to feudal operating system
for the mines. They own vast tracts
of lands, hundreds and even thousands
Of square miles in extent on which
the mines are located. The mining
companies own and therefore control
all roads that traverse land. They
own the houses in which the miners
live; the villages made up Of these
miners; the school houses to which
their children must go for mental
training: the churches which minister
to their spiritual needs; the stores
from which they buy their clothing;
foo and other necessities the pest
Offices where they get their mail,
Imoney orders and conduct their crude
banking transactions. Ev Dry detail OF
n. ming life is under supervision Of the
mine operators through their power
of ownership. In time of strike the
mine operators have the power Of
eviction and have forced hundreds of
strikers and their families to seek
shelter in tent coolnies, with the con
slant danger of exposure. There can
be no real freeom under such condi-
tions of industrial tyranny.
I'm addition to problems arising
from feudal ownership of land, the
operators have assumed police power.
They employ armed mine guards to
maintain their regulations and to
guard mine property In times of indus
trial peace, the mine guards serve as
ro!ice and prevent undesirable per-
sens from trespassing upon the land
OF the mining companies. The elastic
term Trespass has been interpreted
10 mean all manner of organizing &C,
dvities. IN times of industrial dis,
putes the mine guards are increased
and more heavily armed. These con
ditions beget violence and industrial
disputes in many of these districts
are now practically ciyh war.
4The use of armed troops by mine
operators and the power resulting
from ownership of large tracts OF
continuous territory and the subyer-
sion Of civil government to military
rule are some Of the most serious OF
modern industrial problems We re-
commend and urge that the various
state federations of labor cndeavof to
secure legislation prohibiting this brn
lto! practice which is subversive Of all
Industrial justice and freedom"
Statistical reports show the mem