The Hartford herald., 1914-05-13
BY Colorado Militia, Says
Observer.
BlAMeS ROCKEFELLER FOR IT
Organizers Wife Gives a
Graphic Description Of
The Conditions.
RoCKEFELLER FIRM IN STAND

presence of United States troops il
the troubled mine district has re
stored a semblance of peace, 1t has
not lessened the bitterness of the
miners and their families toward
John ID. Rockefeller, Jr., owner OF
the mines where the trouble is cen
tered. It is realized that unless
Rockefeller takes an entirely new
point of view, resumption of work
at the mines is a long way OIL. Eth
.er that. or the strikers must ac-
knowledge their defeat and go back
to work on the old terms.
Rockefeller insists that the only
point really in dispute relates to the
open shop. He declares he is will
ling to sink every dollar he has in
vested in the mines before he will
recognize the union. He takes the at
titude, he says. because 80 per cent.
of his workmen are non-union and
would be forced out of employment
if the mine owners agreed to the de-
mands of the strikers, who ask that
only union men be permitted to
work in the mines.
As to wages Rockefeller says that
ne is paying as much as any of the
other mine owners in Colorado; that
ne has put his men on an eight-hour
day and acceded to every other rea-
sonable demand. He says his EN-
ployes do not have to trade at the
company stores and that many of
them do not.
The miners side or the story is
told by Mrs. Laura G. Cannon, wife
of the organizer of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners, who has personal
knowledge of conditions. She says:
THE Rockefeller interests own
the land, build the shacks in which
the miners live, control the banks,
stores. water and lighting privileges,
and by their absolute control evict
Nuultu NOh6it ~ 'hN i''6
ious services are not to their taste.
Not satisfied with this. the com
pany, by system of weighing coal,
has robbed the miners. No matter
whether the ton was long or a
short one. the miners have been
robbed. and it has not been unusual
for a miner to have to mine 5000
pounds for ton, according to the
company weighing.
The Rockefellers, after deducting
what they pleased for rent, water,
light and supplies, gave the miners,
not cash. but checks of the compa-
ny's stores. where they were charg
ed exorbitant prices for anything
they bought, paid $40 more for a
dress than could have bought it
for in any store in Denver. The mi
ners asked that they be allowed a
representative at the scales and the
request was refused. They asked
for the privilege of buying their
supplies where they pleased. They
asked 10 per cent. increase i'm
wages. which would only partly COW
er the increased cost of living, and
recognition of the union.
Some of the demands We're
granted, but not recognition of the
union. Then appeal was made for
the militia. which is always called
out in "A State controlled as in Colo
RADIO. in the capacity of scab-herd-
cra.
The country may have wondered
why women in the Rockefeller camps
have played such prominent part
i'm the present troubles. II is be-
cause of the unspeakable outrages
Rockefeller camps outrages that
never have been printed. That is the
reason the women of the camps have
been willing to lay down their lives.
And further-the militia have
deliberately set ahre pits i'm which
women and children We're hiding
from their atrocities, aud roasted
them alive. Talk about the cruelty
OF the Mexicans Huerta nor Villa
never conceived such crimes as have
been committed against the women
and children OF the Rockefeller
camps Ia Colorado.
There Is not one OF these crimes
that cannot be fixed on the Rockefel-
lers. The Colorado laws say that
all workingmen have right TO or