The Elbert County tribune., 1915-01-29
JOHN D. JR. TESTIFIES
SAYS DID NOT DICTATE POLICY
OR CONTROL SITUATION.
Favors Labor Unions $50 Long As
Their Purpose is to Promote Well
Being of the Employees.
Western Newspaper Union New. servic,.

Western Newspaper Union News servics.
New York.-John ID. Rockefeller, Jr.,
active head of the interests acquired
or built up by his father, occupied the
witness stand for five hours Monday
at the inquiry being conducted here
by the United States Commission on
Industrial Relations into the great
philanthropic foundations and the
cause of industrial unrest.
While on the stand. Rockefeller
said that he intended to visit Colo
rado in the near future and intimated
that he was delaying the trip only
because of the present hearing.
Rockefellers testimony dealt large
ly with the labor situation in the
Colorado mining section Reading
from prepared statement. he denied
that he had sought or even wished to
exercise sort of absolutism over the
coal industry in Colorado and de.
clared he was most heartily in favor
of labor unions, so long as they had
due regard for the public interests.
"The only coal property in Colo
RADIO in which we are in any way in
terested is the Colorado Fuel & Iron
Company" Rockefeller said For me
to have attempted to dictate policy,
or control the situation. would have
meant an assumption of authority far
beyond what the Investment which /
represent would have Justified
THE commission has asked my
views" said Rockefeller, "as to what
extent the stockholders and dir -ctcrs
of corporation are responsible for
the labor conditions which exis. in it,
and for the social conditions which
are produced: how generally and in
what manner such responsibilities are
assumed by stockholders and direct,
ors, and, in actual practice, how and
upon what general basis the labor
policies of large corporations are de-
termined.
THE responsibilities of stockhold-
ers is practically limited to the cleo
tion of directors. They have no pow
er to elect officers, to employ labor,
to make contracts or to intervene di-
rectly in the management of the bust
ness. A large stockholder, however.
is able to exercise considerable
moral influence over the directors
and officers and Is responsible for ex-
ercising that influence properly.
The directors are responsible for
the general conduct of business; they
have the power to elect officers and
do determine business policies.
Labor conditions so far as they
are within the control of corpora
tion, are matters for which the Off
GERS of the corporations are primarily
responsible. - .
Labor policies are initiated and
determined by the officers. =" A
business, to be successful, must not
only provide to labor remunerative
employment under proper working
conditions, but 1t also must render
useful service to the community and
earn a fair return on the money in
vested.
Il believe that corporation should
be deemed to consist of it's stockhold-
ers. directors. officers and employees;
that the real interests of all are one,
and that neither labor nor capital can
permanently prosper unless the just
rights of both are conserved.
IF. with the responsibilities l have
and the opportunities given me, am
able to contribute toward promoting
the well-being of my fellow men.
through the lessening of injustice and
the alleviation of human suffering.
shall feel that it has been possible to
realize the highest purpose of my
life"