Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-25
Testimony Deals Largely
With Situation in Colo
RADIO Mine Section.
COMPANY'S SIDE
OF RECENT STRIKE
Witness Denies He Sought to Exercise
AhsoIutism Over Industry in Col
orado-Declares Approval Of Labor
=, Unions az Long as They Have Due
Regard For Public lntercsts-Police
Guard Witness.

New York, Jan. 25.-John D. Rookie
feller. Jr., testified today before the
federal commission on industrial rela-
tions in the inquiry which the commits
sion has been conducting here into
the management of philanthropic
foundations and labor interest.
! Mr.. Rockefellers testimony dealt
largely with the labor situation in the
| Colorado mining section. Reading
from a prepared statement he denied
! that he had sought to exercise an abb
solutism over the coal industry OF
Colorado, and declared he was in favor
of labor unions so long as they had
! due regard for the interests OF the
public.
The coal property in Colorado In
which we are interested Is the Colo
! RADIO, Fuel & Iron Company" he said.
For me to have attempted to control
the situation would have meant an as
sumption of authority far beyond the
investment which I represent would
have justified"
Determination Of Labor Policies.
"The commission has asked my
views" said Mr.. Rockefeller. "as to
what extent the stockholders and d.
rectors are responsible for labor con-
ditions: how generally and In what
manner such responsibilities are as
sumed by stocklsolders and directors.
ana in actual practice. how. and upon
| what general basis, the labor policies
OF large corporations arc determined.
"The responsibilities Of stockholders
| IL practically limited to the election OF
directors. They have no power to
elect officers. employ labor, make con
tracts, ,or to intervehe directly In the
management. Of the business. A large
stockholder, however. Is able to exer-
icise considerable moral influence over
the directors. u
The directors are responsible for the
general conduct OF business; they have
the power to elect officers and to de-
termine the policies Of the business.
Officers Responsibls For Labor.
Labor conditions, SO far as they.
within the control Of a corporation,
are matters for which the officers OF
the corporation are primarily respon-
sible. Labor policies are initiated ana
determined by the officers.
"a business to be successful must
not only provide labor remunerative
employment under proper labor condi-
tions, but it must also earn fair re-
turn on the money invested.
"Anyone who has followed the con-
troversy in Colorado will have OBJ
served that no effort has been spared
to make it appear that have at
tempted to exercise an absolutism
over the coal industry in Colorado and
particularly that l have sought to
force a non-recognization of union
abor.
Favors Organized Labor.
"An absolutism as here implied is
SO abhorrent to me that I can not al
low these charges to go unnoticed.
What are the facts?
FIRST, with reference to labor
union: I believe 1t as proper for labor
to associate itself into organized
groups for the advancement of its
interests. as for capital to
combine for the same object. Some
times they Oabor unions) provide
benefit features; sometimes they seek
to increase wages. but what their
specific purpose, so long as 1t is to
promote the we'll being of the employees
having always due regard for the just
interests Of the employers and the
public, leaving every worker free to
associate himself with such groups or
work independently as he may choose.
I favor them most heartily.
No Interference With management.
"As respects the question Of the rec
opnition or non-recognition Of the la
bor unions in Colorado my attitude has
been in conformity with the views
have expressed relative to stockholders.
directors and managers. The hirins
and discharging Of men and framing OF
agreements as respects the same are
functions which I have regarded as
rightfully belonging to the MANAGE
ment and not to stockholders and d.
rectors. The Colorado Fuel and IRON
Company has been managed on this
principle.
"The decision Of the. officers was
reached without any consultation with
me and I had no knowledge of their
decision until after the strike had been
declared"
Policy Of ssereoy Discontinued.
Commissioner Walsh asked II, dur,
ing 1914, Starr J. Murphy. Jerome b.
Green and the witness. all on the per-
sonal staff Of John d. Rockefeller,
were directors Of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company? The witness said
yes. Prior to that the witness said he
and others realized that the public
were not getting the facts about large
corporations. The witness came to be-
lieye It was a mistake to maintain se-
crecy regarding corporations and de-
termined to get facts before the pub-
lie. He communicated last spring with
Ivy 4. Lee. who was then connected
with the Pennsylvania railroad.
Mr. Leo worked In Colorado during
his vacation, Mr.. Rockefeller said. For
his services John d. Rockefeller. Sr.,
paid Lee salary OF II 900 q month. No
charge was made against the Colorado
Euel and from Company Tor the money