Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-24
Employers and Miners in Arr
IONA Copper District Fail to
il Reach Agreement.
WESTERN FEDERATION
Il BLAMED BY MANAGERS
Hen Say Situation Shows Necessity
Il for Compulsory Arbitration of !
II Labor Disputes.

nv thdI lAC- SOiA -OctWCCh ehfS
managers and men. in the Clifton MO
xenui-Metcah copper strike district of
Arizona held here daily for a week had
been so pervaded by the influence of
the Western Federation of Miners that
they were futile, the mana gers stated
today that the conferences were con-
Guided.
A statement-by the managers follows,
in part: ---.---s ~
with unvarying, persistence the de-
structive influence Of the Western Fed
Grafton of Miners has attended each de-
veIopment of the situation. AT the re-
cent conferences the federations de-
niands Invariably were woven into the
issues so that the mine mana gers were
powerless to act in the interests of
their old employees.
..Secret agents of the Western Fed
GRAFTON entered the district early this
year, when, on account of the European
war, the Jcompa MES ware confronted
with the necessity of striving to ala
their employees in the face OF decreased
output. This was necessarily attended
by reduction in wages
Sliding Scale Adopted.
"Following improvement in the mar
ket early this year. the managers or
the companies adopted sliding scale
based on the average selling price
which gave the employees even higher
wages than they had received.
1.-THE managers assert that the scaie
was satisfactory to the employees until
agitators appeared. The men were told
that no good would come of af1ilia ton
with the Western Federation OF MIN
ers; that the companies would advance
wages when conditions warrant; that
advances enjoyed in the past would be
arnplifisd in the future, but that no
s,ich changes could be arranged While
agdtators remained in the district.
IA joint meeting was arranged sep
tsfnber 2S, at which the resolutions
adopted at federation mass meetings
ware read. calling for the ADOPTION OF
wage scale which would put the De-
troit Copper Company and the shannon
Company out of business
ION September 80 Gov. Hunt an
nounced his Investigations convinced
him that the workmen had Just cause
fof complaint.
Statement of Miners.
a formal statement, issued by the COM
mfttee representing the striking copper
miners of the Clifton Metcalf-Morenci dis
trict of Arizona, calling their conference
with the mine managers here "farcical."
saSs that it clearly indicates the neces-
sitt of compulsory arbitration to settle
labor disputes.
The managers are charged with having
MOI intention of reaching adjustment.
The strike, the statement declares. is cost
inf employees of the district and the stock
holders about $4,000 an hour
The strike is not one of the Western
Federation of Miners the statement de-
cIafes, but of the employees of the copper
companies. Organizers of the union left
the district, it was declared, as soon as
Of ba work thew in
vited into the district to do. The state
nent says, in part
For years the employees have been dis
satisfied with their working conditions
every time man expressed himself as
being dissatisfied he was Immediately
discharged Petty foremen fixed the rate
of wages, and the rate was as little as
the. employe would work for.
Old Employees Discharged.
-Finally. after years Of injustice. the
employees invited organizers of the West
ern Federation of Miners 70 the district.
These organized the non-union men.
'The managers began discharging
their employees who Joined the union,
some of them having worked for the
company over twenty years.
at was this action that precipitated
the strike. When the strike was
called members of every organization
stopped. work.
Had a fair hearing not been refused
the men would be working today. Tn
der fair proposition for settlement
the miners might resume operation to-
morrow.
I'VE have offered to submit our side
to fair board of arbitration, returning
to work while awaiting the action of
that board. These companies have tried
through the employment of different
races and different rates Of wages for
these races to prevent any cooperation
among the men. "hat Go you think of
9 company that pays a rnachinlst, Mex
team, s2.72, per day and his helper.
American, $3.50 4 day."
Summary of Miners Attitude.
The strike committee summarized the
attitude of the miners as follows:
"All of the demands Of the employees
to be submitted to a board of arbitra-
tf6n The men to return to work at
their former wages pending the de-
cision of the board of arbitration. When
the board has rendered its decision the
men to receive the advance in wages,
II any, from the day they return to
work. This difference to be paid on
the first pay day after the board has
decided on the scale, in a lump sum,
in addition to the wages due for the
past fifteen days. Two members OF
this board to be appointed by the. EN-
pioyers, two by the employees and a
fifth member to be an employe of the
Department OF Labor. TO be appointed
by the Secretary of Labor, and the find
ings of this board to- be final and bind
ing on both parties"
J. S. Myer. special agent of the De-
partment OF Labor investigating the
strike situation at Clifton and Morenci
arrived here today.