Evening star., 1915-01-30
TELLS Of DESPAIR
IN mining CAMPS


fContinued from First Page.)
this control resulted in restriction OF
labor and unemployment.
Alleged Violations Of Law.
The witness read list of the laws OF
Colorado which, he said. the corpora
tions in that state had violated. The
list included laws providing for weigh
men. an eight-hour day and the right
to Join labor organizations.
Commissioner weinstock asked If 1t
were a fact that the Colorado Fuel and
Iron company had refused to treat with
the United Mine Workers of America
on the ground that the miner workers
were law breakers.
'eThat was one of the charges re-
piled the witness
tice distributed by the United Nine
Workers of America calling upon the
mine workers to form into companies
and arm themselves. He asked tne
witness if that action did not constitute
a defiance of the laws OF colorado, or
being a call to arms, a rebellion.
'"That is no violation of the law, Mr.
lawson replied II defy any one TO
prove that we violated the law. II my
neighbor called to me and asked me @ 70
defend his property and the lives OF ms
family would that be violation OF the
law"
together that way" replied Mr' "e'h-
ayes, you would be violating the law
against blocking traffic." the witness
replied.
Tells of "Ca1l to Arms"
When questioned by Mrs. ]. Borden
Hartman, a member of the commits
sion, as to the details of the arming OF
the men, Mr.. Lawson asked to be ex-
cused from replying, as he was one OF
those indicted in connection with the
trouble in Colorado. The so-called
call to arms" he said, was issued to
the miners two days after the shooting
at Ludlow.
statements alleged to have been made
BY operators asserting that the United
Mine Workers of America were con-
tract breakers. in connection with
strikes in district No. 2, which includes
a part of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Lawson replied that II the COM
plants had been taken up with the e4-
ecutive board the miners would eitner
have gone back to work under tne GOV, =,
the union. If group of miners In one
mine went on a strike on their own
account, that did not constitute a vio-
lation Of contract by the united Mine
many operators SO considered IT,
Assails Rockefeller Foundation.
The policies and purposes of the
one-hundred-m -million- dollar Rockefeller
Foundation and the recent utterances
on the witness stand of John D. Rocke-
TELLER. jr., were vigorously assailed
Yesterday afternoon by Mr.. Lawson.
vben he appeared as a representative
of the coal miners at the hearing ne
ing conducted by the commission. MI
lawson asserted "a skillful attempt Is
being made to substitute philanthropy
the Rockefellers, Mr.. Lawson referred
"Health for China, a refuge for birds.
food for the Belgians. pensions Tor
New York widows, university training
for the elect-and never thougnt OF OF
n dollar for the many thousands or
men, women and children who starved
in Colorado, for the widows robbed Of
husbands, children of their fathers.
There are thousands Of Mr.. Rockefei-
who wish to God they were in Belgium
to be fed or bird to be tenderly cared
for"
Ignorance and Indifference.
Mr.. Lawson criticised John D. Rookie
Teller, jr.. for his lack of knowledge OF
conditions and said he was equally as
ignorant and Indifferent as his trusted
executives"
The witness told OF striking miners in
Colorado being shot down by militia IN
the pay of the Colorado Fuel and Iron
Company" and of hundreds of persons
ta,1 fptn
food or water, while others were driven
over the snow in the mountain ranges.
"If any appearance Of poverty cGngs
10 the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company,
Mr.. Lawson declared, 1T is due to its
own stupidity and corrupt policy. Had
IL taken the money 1t has spent in con-
trolling officials and celebrates, in pur-
chasing machine guns. the employment
Of gunmen and in crushing the aspira-
tions Of human beings, and spent it In
wages and the Improvement of working
conditions. they would have had rich re-
tvrna"
The manner in which the directing
forces Of the Colorado Fuel ard Iron Com
man Mr.. Lawson characterized as "a
chain that no individual can climb"
Tho Rockefeller foundation's investiga-
tion into industrial unr st, Mr. Lawson
said. 10 to be conduc' d by Mackenzie
King" an alien. whose chief contribution
TO tho Industrial problem is a law that
preecTtbee a jail sentence for the worker
who daree to lay down his tools"
Hammond Reads Statement.
John Hays Hammond read a statemen,
containing answers to questions submit
ted 10 him by the commission
Mr.. Hammond. in discussing the Ques-
ten Of Unemployment. declared that the
underlying causes were economic, but tha,
other factors. such as supply and demand
the "brief1es6' lawyer who. despite a lack
OF experience In business affairs, IL
selected to legislate on economic prob.
lens Of national importance, and tho fail.
ure OF the business man to take a proper
interest In civic and political affairs.