Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-14
Resume Of Testimony Heard
So Far by Commission
Charged With Learning the
Facts Of The Situation.
MANY SUGGESTIONS
OF POSSIBLE REMEDY
Apparently IrreConciIabIe Diff
ferences Between Views Of
Employers and Represent
atives of the Union.

mission on Industrial relations. after
completing ten days OF testimony re-
lating to the industrial situation IN
Colorado. will begin tomorrow the
third week of its hearings here. Ten
tatlyely il has fixed December 16 as
its closing date In Colorado. but IL has
announced the determination of con-
tinuing its sessions until il has heard
the last important witness To that
end II has postponed its hearing at
Dallas. Texas. and will leave here di-
rect for Washington, where II will be-
gin hearings on or about December
2s.
Suggested Remedies.
A compilation OF suggestions for the
solution OF the Colorado situation
made to the commission, would in
clude:
state compulsory arbitration.
A state industrial commission.
A conciliatory board of employees
and executive officers.
Permission for unhindered union
organization.
Rigid enforcement of existing state
laws.
An employers liability law.
settlement Of industrial disputes In
civil courts.
An employers liability daw.
Repeal of the Meyer decision.
Statement by Ammons.
Governor Ammons. the first wit
ness, In his story of the strike told for
the first time before any investlgat-
ing body. said he had been informed
before he took office in January. 1913,
that n coal miners strike in southern
Colorado pfobably would he called
during his administration. He devel-
oped thnt his strike policy had been
opposed BY State Auditor Roady kene-
han and State Deputy Labor Commits
sioner f.. Y. Brake lie suggested the
enactment of federal mediation law
or the settlement Of Industrial disputes
in courts OF law on the basis Of civil
disputes.
The Colorado Fuel & Iron company
the Victor American Fuel company
and the Rocky Mountain Fuel COM
pany bore the cost of fighting the
strike. j. e. Osgood, chairman Of the
board of directors Of the Victor Amer
lean Fuel company testified.
Oxaood's Position Defined.
he hid worked for four years to
establish an employers liability com
mission. he said, and he had support
ed Il for Two years. Inability to col
lect funds appropriated for its sup
port had Killed the effort. Opposing
collective bargaining, he argued that
the miner as an individual had the
right to choose his place of employ
ment. to accept the offer of wages
and conditions or reject them.
The Industrial commission, to be
advised by experts, TO afbitrate an
disputes, their decision to be binding
and a GENERALIZATION of all appointive
power In the chief executive, was rec |
by Governor-elect George
A. Carlson. The commission, ne suS-
gested. should draft an employers lia-
bility act to be submitted TO the lesls- /
latiire in January
Mine executives were generally un-
ertified--which constituted a VIOLA
lion OF the law--because his depart [
ment had not had the money TO hold I
examinations, was the gist OF the tes- t
Limony of James Dalrymple, chiei
state inspector Of coal mines.
Blamcs Operators. 4
II the operators had consented TO
meet the strike leaders, former United
states Senator Thomas NJ. Patterson
declared. the strike would nave pech
settled. Mr. Patterson referred TO the
iction Of Governor Ammons IN invok-
ng the power Of the Meyer decision
which suspended civil rights. placing
Adjutant General Chase In supreme
In the state, and declared
he Mover decision "A denoralizing
'orce.
John McLennan, president of Dis
rlct No. Is. United Mines Workers Of
America, submitted that scrip pay
nent. a violation Of the law, exists
till in the Victor American closed
amps.
one Jury worked twenty years for a
,oroner in a southern county. McLen-
ian alleged. Governor Shafroth had
declared himself unable TO enforce the
.ight-hour law in the state. he stated.
WeIborn's Testimony.
]. r. Welborn, president of the Col
,rado Fuel & Iron company, testified
o having been in communication DUR
ne the strike with John d. Rockefel-
er. Jr.. Jerome ID. Greene, Starr ).
Murphy and other eastern directors.
-Ie assumed responsibility for state
nenfs in the publication, Facts About
he Colorado Struggle for Industrial
Jreodom.n and lated repndiated his
for some of them. Ivy
!. Lee. executive assistant of the
railroad, had been em-
loved by Mr.. Rockefeller. Jr., to
write the facts from the operators
'iewpoint.
He had never heard of statute
cad bv the commission, forbidding
he employment Of mine employees as
udges of election In coal camps.
The reason of the unrest in Colo
ado. he said. was the. importation of
lawless element by the officials of
he United Mine Workers of Amer
ca.
Employment Of Guards.
Mr.. Welborn testified that. except /.
n one instance when the. sheriff or