Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-27
SCORE methods Of
COLORADO STRIKE
Majority Of Industrial Re-
lationS Commission Makes
Bitter Report
LAY BLAME ON FUEL
AND IRON COMPANY

By The United Press.
CHICAGO. Aug. 27.-"The crown
Ing infamy OF all the infamous rec
ord in Colorado of American institu-
tons perverted and debauched by
selhsh private interests
Such is the excoriation of the trial. I
conviction and sentence TO life inn .
prisonment of John r Lawson, mem
ben of the executive board of the
United Mine Workers OF America, In
The report of the Federal Commits
sion on Industrial Relations, re- /
eased this afternoon.
The report persistently emphasizes
and re-emphasizes the charge that
despite his testimony to the contrary
before the commission and before
Congressional investigation commit
tee John d. Rockefeller Jr.. was al
WAYS cognizant of conditions and
knew each step before and after Il
was taken by his lieutenants In Col
orado. In once making this empha
sis the report characterizes the
young oil and coal kings character
and policies important as showing
the possibilities inherent in an eco
nomic and industrial situation that
permits one man OF a group of men
10 WELD such enormous economic
power. and through that power not
only TO control the destinies and die
etc the circumstances of life for
4 millions of wage earners and for en-
tire communities. but 10 suhsidize
and control 70 a large degree those
agencies that mold the public opinion
Of a nation.
Even should Mr. Rockefeller
change overnight" the report states,
''those possibilities of evil would re-
main inherent In our industrial stu
alton. as a menace to freedom and
democracy"
"The nationwide significance and
Importance OF the Colorado conflict
SAYS the report land the Colorado
Fuel and Iron Company's ruthless
policy OF suppression are emphasized
again and again. BY June, 1914. Mr..
Rockefeller had formulated some
thing like a definite plan for ma
4 tion-wide campaign The most high
s ~ paid publicity expert in the coun-
try has been borrowed from a great
eastern railway to be taken over later
as a member of Mr.. Rockefeller's
stan A union educational campaign
4 is 10 be conducted and the country is
8 10 be flooded with articles by college
q professors and others, bitterly de-
4 nouncing trade unions And at the
+ very time when he prepares TO cir
s. culate Professor Stevenson's intem-
n perate and amazing defense Of indus
u trial absolutism and TRADE against
"a trade unions. Mr. Rockefeller asks
NJ tho aid of w. l.. Mackenzie King, ex-
a pert on industrial relations, to de-
81 wise spacious substitutes for trade
q unions that viii deceive, mollify and
p sooth public opinion while bulwark-
s ing the employers arbitrary control.
Bitter denunciation is forthcoming
In the report for the responsibility
y of Rockefeller because Of the enor-
a nous power his money gives him. In
4 this connection the report says:
Il "Nr. Rockefeller's responsibility
Il has a significance beyond even the
sinister results of his policy in Col
q orado The preversion of and con-
n tempt for government, the disregard
q of public welfare. and the defiance OF
a public opinion during the Colorado
u strike must be considered as only
Il one manifestation of the autocratiC
n and anti-social spirit OF a man whose
enormous wealth gives him infinite
q opportunity to act in similar fashion
Il la broader fields"
"The prosecution and conviction o.
n Lawson under these conditions" says
81 the report marked the lowest depths
81 of the prostitution of Colorado's gov
81 eminent to the will Of the Colorado
VI Fuel and Iron Co. ami its associ
ates."
The report remarks significant,
81 that "the same authorities who con
Quoted this and other successful
prosecutions of strikers have take
Isl no steps TO prosecute Lieutenant K
5 r. Linderfelt of the Colorado Nation
Sal 81 Guard or other members of III
81 Guard who took part in the wanto
al Slaughter of three unarmed striker
M held prisoners al Ludlow and tn
z# burning of the Ludlow tent colon
which resulted in the death by sui
location and burning OF thirteen VIC
men and children"
Is 'Yet at the inquest the repoI
5E continues "a doctor testified tina
N louis Tirkas, one of the slain stril
81 crs. was dealt a blow on the head b
Lieutenant Linderfelt with the stoc
81 Of a rife which might have cause
"a death even had Tirkas not been she
III three times through the body as h
"A lay PROSTATE on the ground by III
81 men under Linderfelts command"
Sd Under the heading. Causes of n
# Strike" the commission finds this
IN the strike was a revolt of who
III communities' against arbitrary eco
nomic, political and social domino
ton by the Colorado Fuel and Iro