Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-03

searched they asked that members OF
these companies might be sent; but II
others we're sent to do the searching they
would be subjected to indignities and un-
der guard Of the militia, many of them
being foreigners and unacquainted with
the work of mining coal We do not be-
lieve 1t was proven that the operators
forcibly kept men in camp until their
debts were paid. but that they rather
endeavored to hold those who already
were in camp before the strike and to pre-
vent those who had been taken in as
strikebreakers from going outside"
Declaring that mine troubles are nation
wide in scope, the committee reaches this
conclusion:
1T should be the duty of the govern
ment to assist any states in settling a dis
pute that is nationwide in its scope; and
If any federal law can be enacted that
will help not only Colorado, but any other
state that may be similarly situated, 1t Is
the duty of congress to speedily put upon
the statute books the necessary laws so
that such industrial disturbances may
forever cease"
The committee criticizes the state
AOI AdhlhS w PiNNNhN ti'N pN''~
of fire arms to the conte nding forces.
The mine owners shipped four machine
guns from West Virginia for use during
the strike" the report stated. THE evil
dence conclusively shows the miners
bought arms and ammunition in quanti-
ties, though the amount we do not know,
and it seems strange TO your committee
that in these counties where the strike
was then in existence and where acts OF
violence were constantly occurring, the
authorities of the state should not have
taken some precaution TO control the sale
of fire arms
Criticism is directed also at conditions
in incorporated towns where the CONF
panies are permitted to put up a sign
private property and exclude all eX-
cept those whom they see fit to permit
to enter, all the officials of the city, the
mayor and the school board, being Of
ficials of the mining companies.
''Oniy one store is permitted within the
close camp" the report continues, "and
this is almost invariably owned and
operated by the mining company. Places
of recreation and amusefent are scarcely
known. The miner must go to the saloon
as place of amusement"
Rockefeller is Cehsured.
The committee declares that John D..
Rockefeller. jr.. did nothing to improve
the condition Of the employees of the com
pany in which he is stock holder and
director.
'Mr Rockefeller says the report. "a
large stock holder of the most powerful
company in the state, has done great
deal for the uplift OF people in other
parts of the country and in foreign
lands, spending millions of dollars in this
work, yet he has not endeavored to i'm
prove the condition of the more than
5000 employees in the company in which
he is connected and has not visited the
state for more than ten years.
mfr. Rockefeller is q long distance
director, not having attended a meeting
of the stockholders or directors OF the
company in ten years. II seems to have
been his practice to select such men as
he thought best for him, and then look
Ionly to them for the management with
out any personal knowledge of the condi-
lions. 1t is true that he did spend q
large part of his profits coming from
the Colorado Industrial company. par
OF the Colorado Fuel and Iron company
in the lettering OF conditions in Other
parts of the country. but what Of tina
when the money is gained in such way
and at such expense 10 the state and III
people?
Wages Lower Than in wyoming.
Many of the miners, IL is true, maxi
good wages yet the scale OF prices is no
as high in Colorado as 1t is in the ad
joining state of Wyoming. The con
slant oppression and neglect and ar
bitrary conduct of the officials Of thes