Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-24
LETTERS JUST BROUGHT 70
LIGHT SHOW COAL STRIKE
WAR WAS FAVORED.
UNITED STATES OFFICIAL
ExcoRlATEs OIL MAGNATEs
Chairman Of Industrial Relations Com.
mission Would Reopen Colorado Case
Letters Passing Between Rookie
Teller and Publicity Agent Indicate
Plot to Battle Union to q Finish.

Kansas City, April 24.-Letters and
telegrams exchanged between John d.
Rockefeller, Jr., and officials OF the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Company,
which yesterday came into possession
of Frank P Walsh. chairman of the
United tSates commission on industrial
relations, contain revelations bearing
on the recent Colorado coal strike OF
so startling a nature as to decide Mr..
Walsh TO recall Mr.. Rockefeller to the
stand when the commission resumes
it's public hearings in Washington, y.
c., on May 4.
"The commission today has made q
part of its record" Mr.. Walsh said last
night, "a mass of correspondence not
only showing that the RockefellerS
were personally in constant touch with
every phase of the Colorado coal
strike situation but that they knew
the strike was coming and prepared for
il.
Approved Every Step Taken:
I'VE have letters of Mr.. Rockefeller;
of ]. F. Welborn, president OF the Colo
RADIO Fuel and Iron Company; of L. II.
bONeIS, CHAIRMAN Oh ItS cAcCuIiSc SoiA
mittee: of Starr j. Murphy. personal
representative Of John D. Rockefeller.
ST., and of Ivy Lee, his publicity agent,
which make 1t plain that every step
taken by the Rockefeller agents In Col
orado in the great strike, in which men.
women and children lost their lives.
was taken with the full knowledge and
assent Of IS Broadway, New York.
More than that. these letters show
that even before the strike began in
September 1913. the department OF la
Dor at Washington sent Ethefeert
Stewart Of the bureau Of labor sta
tistics to New York to see Mr.. Rookie
Teller and try and avert the strike.
Deceived Government A9ents7
Mr.. Murphy, acting under instruc-
tons from Mr.. Rockefeller. told the
government agent that they could not
interfere; that they knew nothing OF
the situation IN Colorado: and that the
entire matter was in the hands OF the
mine executives at the scene. The same
day Mr.. Murphy wrote full account
Of it to Mr.. Bowers at Denver. and Mr..
Bowers wrote back highly praising Mr..
Murphy for his discretion In not Civ
ing the government agents any In
forma ton.
TT is amazing to read the confidence
exchanged between Rockefeller head
quarters in New York and the mine
executives on the very eve OF the strike.
at the moment when the department OF
labor was striving for the Rockefellers
cooperation to avoid the clash and
behind the back Of the departments
representatives.
ION Sept. %. 1913, week after the
strike began, Bowers sent long re-
port to Mr.. Rockefeller. in which he
assured his chief that he and his fell
low officials would never recede an
inch from the stand they had taken.
Says Arbitration Was Refused.
"On Nov. q Secretary Wilson Of the
department Of labor made an effort to
intervene in the strike, and sent
telegram to Mr.. Rockefeller Jr.. asking
him to authorize representatives OF
the operators to meet representatives
of the miners and confer on basis Of
settlement. Mr. Rockefeller's reply was
fiat refusal coupled with the state
ment the action of the mine executives
had his cordial support and that he
would support them to the end.
COPIES Of these kilograms were sent
by Mr. Rockefeller to Mr.. Bowers and
brought back reply in which the
executive chairman expressed his
warm appreciation OF Mr.. Rockefeller's
splendid support.
Sees Political Issue.
'In this same letter Mr.. Bowers in
dulges in some speculation that Is In
teresting. He writes:
This strike has brought to the front
an issue which will secure the atten-
ton, and believe the cooperation. OF
the business men OF the country re-
gardless of political affiliations-force
candidates for Office to declare their
attitude toward the rights Of employers
and employees to run an open shop.
We all know that the politicians have
been giving organized labor sops for
the purpose Of securing their votes, re-
gardless Of the fact that the great mass
Of laboring men have no connection
with labor unions. including the
millions of farmers. It has become
matter of<such Importance that 1t will
doubtless be one of the great issues in
notifies in 1885,