Evening star., 1915-01-26
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Asks
Agitator to Inform Him of
Colorado Conditions.
MINE OWNER AGAIN HEARD
BY FEDERAL COMMISSION
Questioned Regarding Alleged Poll
cies of Fuel and Iron Company,
Which He Controls.

NEW YORK, January 26.-John D.
Rockefeller. jr., today invited Mother"
Jones, the strike leader in the Colo
RADIO coal fields, to visit him and place
before him all information as to the
strike situation there. The invitation
was accepted.
| This invitation was extended by Mr..
| Rockefeller as he entered the room IN
the city hall where the federal commits
sion on industrial relations is conduct
| ing its inquiry into the philanthropic
! foundations and the causes of indus
trial unrest. Mr.. Rockefeller testified
| yesterday before the commission and
was the first witness called today. AS
he walked from the door to the witness
chair he saw Mother" Jones sitting
among the spectators. He stepped to
her side and shook hands.
| 81 wish you would come to see me
and give me any information you have
on the Colorado situation" he said.
! Mother" Jones was visibly surprised.
That's very nice of you." she said. Il
have always said that you could know but
! little of the conditions of the workers
| in Colorado and that you should hear
something else besides what these hire
| lings tell you"
After Mr. Rockefeller took the stand
today Chairman Walsh read a letter
written by Mr.. Welborn (president of the
company to Starr ]. Murphy Of the per-
sonal staff of John D. Rockefeller. ST. In
the letter Mr.. Welborn said that a clergy
man at Sunset had made some remarks
detrimental to the company. and that it
had been suggested that the clergyman
be removed Although the clergyman had
| made indiscreet remarks and had social
istic tendencies Mr.. Welborn wrote that
! he hesitated to remove him.
Clergy Should Be Unrestricted.
AS citizen, Mr.. Rockefeller said. he
believed all clergymen should be free
to say what they please. 1t was
brought out that the clergyman in
question had been severe in his crit
icism of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co.
in connection with the conflicts at Lud-
low. .e
Did you know. that jefferson Farr is
a sheriff and that for fifteen years your
company had used it's influence to elect
him?" asked Mr.. Walsh. did you
know that just before the strike he
told that the Colorado Fuel and Iron
Co. would furnish them with arms and
pay men?'
Mr. Rockefeller said that he knew
nothing ABOUT that.
"As citizen ! say that anything
which interferes with the operation Of
democratic form of government
should not be tolerated" Mr.. Rookie
feller added. If property and life were
in danger in a remote part Of the coun-
| try, the witness said protection meas
ures, however deplorable, should be
taken. He assumed that the officials
| of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co. had
| in view the protection of life and prop
| erty when the deputies were sworn in.
| II do know" he testified, that if my
home and property were in danger /
would take any measures within my
power to protect them. Emergencies
are likely to arise
Knew of No Detective-Spies.
Mr.. Rockefeller said he had never
heard that detectives were employed
! by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Com
pany to spy on the men. He did not
| believe that the rights of any man
should be taken away from him.
Suppose you found that the execu-
tives of the Colorado Fuel and Iron
Company had taken away the rights
of the mem" he was asked.
| II would have to hear all sides.' he
replied. IF the directors determined
that the executive officials were guilty
| (COntinued on Fourth PageO