The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-28
ARM LABOR UNIONS,
Is PLEA OF LEADER
Federal Commission on Indus
trial Relations Hears De-
fence Of Colorado Miners.
CHEERS FROM SPECTATORS
James II. Maurer Also Explains
why the McNamaras Acted
for Their Fellows.

PHILADELPHIA. June 27-t'nion men
arc justified in arming themselves and
taking the offensive in the circum-
stances governing the Colorado mine riots
SO James II. Maurer president of tho
Pennsylvania Federal Convention of La
bor. told the United States Commission
on Industrial Relations to-day.
Il believe these men, he said with
emotion, "would be justified by the high
est court in the land. In Michigan, West
Virginia and Colorado the miners have
appealed again and again to the authori-
lies to protect them from the crueties
imposed by the mine owners. The men
were shot at. locked up without trial
and finally we had the massacre in Colo
RADIO, wnen m,n, women and children
were moved down by the hired guards
of the mine owners.
How about the McNamaras?" asked
Commissioner WenstUck.
THE MCNamaras are the victims Of
your own system of indvidualism."
The spectators broke into applause
and were sharply r.buked by Commits
sioner OConnell.
The McNamaras." continued Mr..
Maurer. 81 repeat. were victims of your
own system OF indivdualsm. II their
confessions were true, and | believe they
were, they tried to protec, their class
by employing the methods of this idiotic
age The workers of their class were en-
gagged In dangerous work. ! know for
I have done II myself. / have walked
beams on buildings in course OF con-
struction, and | know what II means to
lose your nerve. lost mine. and never
dared go up again. These men nlrt
with death every minute OF their work.
ing hours.
THE McNamaras were trying to get
living conditions for these men. Force
was used against them and they came
back with force. They used the weapon
of dynamite as indvidualists."
do you sympathize with their meth
ods?"
mo, do not"
Don't you think 1t is folly to use Of
fensive methods where We have the bal
LOTT"
Eyes. but ] can understand the con-
dition of the oppressed worker. He knows
that the system under which he Is work
ing Is sapping the life from his body and
blasting the chances of those dependent
upon him. Can you blame him If he
strikes hard at that system when oppor-
tunity presents itselt?'
When asked for a remedy for the
social unrest In the United States Mr.
Maurer said
THE unrest will never be settled until
man owns and controls those things upon
which he is dependent for an existence
We are moving rapidly toward that con-
dltion. Just long as one small group
of men owns the means for making a
living the rest of mankind will remair
slaves. The people must own the mean'
Of production"
But it will take some time to brinl
that condition about" observed Commits
sioner O'Connell.
n don't know about that" said Mr.
Maurer. 1T is coming faster than yol
think
you have no half way system which
might be adopted at the present time?"
"Yes, the minimum wage is one OF the
things you should recommend to Con
gress. Mr.. Wood OF the Pennsylvani.
Manufacturers Association said yesterda!
he was afraid the minimum wage woul,
injure the competitor. He is wrong (; tn
minimum wage is intended to protect tn
unskilled worker