New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-22
Rockefeller, L., the Target
In Colorado Labor Inquiry

by the gathering toBctheR Va sart
Of the editors Of the most import, .sn;'
newspapers in Denver, Pueblo Ir;nn.
dad, Walsenburg, Colorado springs
and other Of the larger places IN 'he
state. 18Th
"Still the Governor hobnobs with
HAYES. Lawson, McLennan and the
rest of the gang, and either refuses
or begs for more time to bring the
strike to an end or to amply project
the operators in bringing in outsiders
70 take the places of those VINO hsTe
left the state and those engaged IN
these murderous assaults, whom we
refuse 10 take back under any cir
cumstances. ,,
"Yet we are making little head
wav. There probably has never been
such pressure brought to bear upon
any Governor Of this state by the
strongest men in ii as has been
brought to bear upon Governor Am
mons. We have published statements
of the earnings Of the miners, wnleh
the agitators disputed, and the Gov
ernor expressed great doubt as TO It's
accuracy"
Forced Governor to Act.
Mr.. Walsh also called Mr.. Rockefei-
ler's attention to another letter Writ
ten TO him by Bowers on December -,
1918. in which the latter said:
ar the Governor had acted on sep
tember % as he has been forced to act
during the last few weeks, this strike
, would never have existed ten days.
ave used every possible weapon 10
drive him into action, but he was glove
in hand with the labor leaders, and IS
to-day, but the big men OF affairs have
helped the operators in Whipping the
agitators, including the Governor
Now these fellows are curslng MIN
without regard for common decency, SO
everybody is giving him more or less
taffy to keen him from oackshdlnS'
The inclosed is a sample OF the resolu-
tons being sent to him, besides any
number of personal letters" :. .,
"Do these letters show your pollcy
asked Chairman Walsh.
"Did | write those letters?" demani-
ed Mr.. Rockefeller.
mo. but you received them" said
the chairman.
"But | did not write them, so they
can scarcely be said to show my pol
lev" returned Mr.. Rockefeller.
~ propose to call your attention 70
six letters written by you in which
you say that you back up these actions
by Mr.. Bowers said Mr.. Walsh.
"The letters mean" returned Mr..
Rockefeller, that there was disorder
in Colorado. Naturally, every citizen
would use every influence to- get the
public officers to do their duty" and ne
declared emphatically that it was abso,.
lutelv necessary for him TO back up"
the men placed in charge of the coal
properties.
MIR. Walsh then asked If Mr.. Rookie
Teller did not think he. as a director
Of the company, should take steps to
have criminal saloonkeepers" ousted
from the mining camps, TO which Mr..
Rockefeller replied that state officials
should enforce the law.
Denies knowledge Of Massacre"
The chairman asked II sir. Rookie
Teller was acquainted with the details
of the Ludlow massacre" and gave
graphic description of it. Mr.. Rookie
Teller said he had no knowledge of the
details.
con the same day as the Ludlow
massacre" Mr.. Walsh asked, did you
not learn that there was a little boy
/ killed."
Il heard a boy was shot" said Mr..
/ Rockefeller.
Mr.. Walsh called attention to COM
pany statement that the women and
children at Ludlow were smothered,
I and read postcard addressed to him
/ by a Mr. and Mrs. Snyder at Trini-
: dad. saying:
We wish to inform you that here is
/ one of the little victims of Ludlow.
not smothered. but was shot through
/ the head while caressing his little sis
/ ter"
ION the back of this card is a pho
/ tograph Of the little boy, Frank
/ Snyder" said Mr.. Walsh. "Do you
/ wish to see it ?" and he handed the
| card to a messenger, who offered it TO
| Mr. Rockefeller.
you have described it thoroughly"
/ said the witness. who glanced at the
/ card as it was passed to the stenogra
/ pher.
Mr. Walsh read from letteys and re-
/ ports to show that Troop A. a volun-
! teer organization. was formed of SUI
/ perintendents. clerks and mine guards
I Of the coal companies. and asked:
"Do you know that this troop fired
! into the tents Of the women and chill
/ dren at Ludlow and that they looted
+ the dead and set fire to the tents of the
/ people? ~
]
DepIores Necessity for Guards.
81 regard an instance where private
/ individuals have to supplement the
/ regular authorities to protect life and
property as most deplorable," Mr..
Rockefeller declared, in answering a
series of questions. "Our officers had
to u.s. the means at hand to supplement
the efficiency of the state. l deplore
the necessity for putting mine guards
/ into the field"
AS the men of Troop A we're paid
/ by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Com
pany, do you not feel a moral response
bility for the Ludlow massacre ?" asked
/ Mr.. Walsh.
81 would have felt much greater re-
sponsbiity," Mr.. Rockefeller replied,
"if officers of the company had not
made an effort to protect life and prop
erty"
Asked if he thought it was right for
| guards to loot the homes of people, Mr.
Rockefeller replied; Certainly not,
whoever they were"
| Mr.. Walsh questioned Mr.. Rockefel-
/ Ter about his employment of Ivy Lee as
! publicity agent, and called attention TO
Lees recommendation that 1--WE cannot
/ be too careful in the use Of terms"
81 believe that very sound philoso-
ply" said Mr.. Rockefeller.
Isn't that a plea for meLdacity ?"
asked the chairman, cor plea for the
use of half truths which amount to
mendacity?"
III had thought So" returned Mr..
! Rockefeller, 81 would not have touched
! Mr.. Lee or any one who held such
! ideals with a ten-foot pole"
]