The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-03-17
id, JR, BLAMED
IN HOUSE REPORT
On the Noted Mine Strike
In Colorado.
he IS ACCUSED Of WINNING
by Starvation, Under False
Banner of Liberty"
in Coal Fields.
HE TREATED EMPLOYEES BADLY

of a year ago, subcommittee of the
criticised John ID. Rockefeller, Jr.,
and declared that the State militia
fought chiefly for the operators,
though the latter were exculpated
from the charges of peonage and re-
straint of trade.
This strike having been settled,
no specific recommendation were
made, but it was suggested that a
new Federal law should be enacted
to cover all such conditions that
might arise in the future.
Referring to Mr. Rockefeller, the
committee declares that he did
nothing to improve the condition of
the employees of the company in
which he is stakeholder and direc-
tor.
Mr.. Rockefeller" says the re-
port, "a large stakeholder of the
most powerful company in the
State, has done a great deal for the
uplift of people in other parts of the
country and in foreign lands, spend
ing 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 CONF
pany with which he is connected,
and has not visited the State for
more than ten years.
"Mr. Rockefeller is a long-dis-
lance director, not having attended
a meeting of the stockholders or di-
rectors of the company in ten years.
at seems to have been his prac-
tice to select such men as he
thought best for him and then look
only to them for the management,
without any personal knowledge of
the conditions.
''It is true that he did spend a
large part of his profits coming
from the Colorado Industrial Com
pany-a part of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company-in the better
ing of conditions in other parts of
the country; but what of that,
when the money is gained in such a
way and at such expense to the
State and its people?
"Mr. Rockefeller, before the COM
mittee in Washington, said he
would not agree to arbitration, for
the reason that he was fighting for
a great principle, and would sacri-
flee all his property for the princi-
pie of every man to be free to work
for whom he pleases and on such
terms as best suits the worker.
"Mr. Rockefeller, speaking as a
director of the Colorado Fuel and
Iron Company, not having attended
a meeting of the stockholders or di-
rectors in ten years. uttering this
sentiment of liberty for the work.
ing people of his company and of
whole country. should remem-
Der that for thirty years there has
been the fiercest struggle among
the workers in the mines of Colo
RADIO.
HE may win a strike by starva-
ton under the false banner of liber-
ty for the workingman. but We do
not believe he can maintain peace
under such conditions as exist in
that State.
"Mr. Rockefeller was not a good
Judge of conditions in Colorado and
knew nothing about them. He was
not willing to submit to fair board
of arbiters to settle this strike. He
was obstinate. and the statement
that he was fighting for liberty for
the workingman will not bear in
vestigation. The strike could have
been settled without recognition of
the union had he desired to do SO,
and the employees could have owrked
for him whether members of the
union or not.
1--WE believe he did not desire to
arbitrate. and in that way end this
| strike, and one must conclude he
would rather spend the money of
the company for guns. pay of detec-
tives and mine guards. and starve
the strikers into submission.
ION the other hand. the miners
were insistent on the recognition of
their union. In the employment of
force to win the strike they went
beyond the rights of law-abiding
citizens and committed acts of vio-
lence. They always, however, SEEM
ed willing to meet and endeavor to
settle the dispute by arbitration.
and it is believed that a settlement
could have been made on a basis