Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-25
Former Canadian Cabinet Of
ficer Connected With Rock
efeIIer Foundation Speaks
His Mind to Chairman,
Ex0NERATES REMAINING
COMMISSION MEMBERS
Bowers IntimateS 1t Wouldn't.
Have Been Safe for Either
Old or Young John D, to-
Have Dictated 10 Him.


Washington. May 2i.--W. l.. Mac
kenZie King, director OF the industrial
relations department of the Rookie
feller Foundation and a former Cana
dian cabinet officer. Interrupted his
testimony before the federal industrial
relations commission today TO roundly
denounce the methods of Chairman
Walsh in conducting the commissions
Colorado strike inquiry.
II have seen witness after witness
on the stand here treated In a man
ner that was anything but fair" he
said. In the name Of labor | protest
against the way this hearing has been
conducted.
you do not like the way investlga-
tions are conducted In this country
asked Chairman Walsh.
II do not like the way this hearing
has been conducted" replied the wit
ness.
You do not like this commissions
conduct of the hearings?"
81 do not like the way you, Mr..
Chairman. have conducted the exam
lnation OF witnesses"
Then you exonerate the rest Of
the commission ?"
'On, yes!
Objects TO General Examination.
rs your objection to the examin-
alton" asked the chairman, based
upon your observation of the examin-
alton of John ID. Rockefeller, Jr., and
is II caused in part by the statement
you heard a witness make here that
he was guilty of high treason and
should be punished? ?"
Mr.. King said he spoke only of the
general examination of all witnesses.
Tie was questioned at length about his
services 10 John p. Rockefeller Jr,
and to the foundation. He declined
TO say what salary nc received.
The witness outburst against Chair
man Walsh came in the midst of
questioning regarding a plan suggest
cd by him TO Mr. Rockefeller for
dealing with the situation in the Colo
RADIO coal fields The chairman
sought 20 show that the plan would
have eliminated union representation
on boards of conference between en-
ployers and ths miners. Mr. King
objected strenuously to any inference
that he was unfriendly TO organized
labor
Bowers In Bad Health.
l.. NJ. Bowers, veteran former treas
hANi VI Niit NplOiduO # uki N iIOii W.
and now a member of the personal
business staff of John ID. Rockefeller,
Sr,, occupied the stand the greater
part of today's session. He was
questioned closely as to the conduct
of the strike by the coal companies
and disclaimed responsibility for the
violence and bloodshed which char i
acteriZed the disturbance.
Mr.. Bowers showed the effects ofl
recent illness and frequently was agi- |
tated by the questioning He told |
of his efforts TO improve conditions in |
the coal fields after he went there In |
1907, but did not defend the officers |
of the company prior to that time, nor |
would he assume responsibility for |
the present officers, other than him |
self. He was emphatic and some
times he apologized for being |
"wrathy" in his manner /
As he concluded the witness arose I
and said TO the commission:
Could Nor Have Dictated.
John ID. Rockefeller, Sr., John D. !
Rockefeller, Jr., nor anyone else, ever I
dictated TO me. You can imagine |
what would happen to him if he did |
! am almost 60 years old and / have |
all my life been for the common peo-
pie. | have worked just as hard as
any coal miner. If it had been for me
to do, | would have met the repre-
sentatives of the coal miners and tried |
to settle differences"
Commissioner WenstOck gave Mr..
Bowers an opportunity to answer the
same charges which were denied byl
John d. Rockefeller, Jr.. on the stand.
The witness said the strikers were Civ
en an opportunity to meet represent
atlvcs of the operators after the strike
began. lie denied flatly that the
courts were controlled by the opera
tors and declared that the first vio-
lence OF the strike occurred when
strikers killed a camp marshal.
Mr. Bowers denied charges made by
Mr.. Gaddis as to conditions In the
Colorado mining camps and bitterly
the ministers. He declared
Mr.. Gaddis sought to have men who
differed with his religious views dis
charged from the company's employ.
Letters written to Mr. Gaddls on vari.
Gus subjects, Mr.. Bowers said, had
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