Denver labor bulletin., 1915-11-27
Governor Hunt Reuiews the
Strike Situation in Arizona
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the mine managers in FL Paso, there
came into the executive office verbatim
statements from twenty five or thirty
people from many walks of life, who
while residing in the troubled district,
testified that they had never been CO.
creed, threatened or intimidated by the
representatives of the workingmen's or
ganizations To further corroborate
these statements, and likewise to refute
the affidavits of alleged refugees acting
under the direction of the mine mana
gers attorneys, came daily from the
commanding officer of the State Militia
detachment, which, had been dispatched
chiefly for moral effect, to the scene OF
the strike, conservative reports that such
peace and quiet as any ordinary commu-
nifty might reasonably expect prevailed
in Clifton and Morenci. The only infer
ence to be drawn, therefore, is that the
company managers themselves found in
the 'workingmen's orderly conduct a
source of chagrin rather than elation.
Promptly following the flight of the
three mine managers and the despatch
ing of militiamen to the stricken min
ing district, proposals for arbitration, or
at least for free discussion of differ
ences between both sides of the indus
trial controversy were submitted alike
to employers and employees. 1t became
in this connection, quickly manifest that
whereas the workmen eagerly welcomed
every proposition advanced, the mine
managers had figuratively to be wooed
or coaxed into an agreement for the
meeting of the employees committee. In
fact every attempt at conference was
at first flatly rejected on the ground or
pretext that the presence of the Wes-
tern Federation organizers in the dis
trict was the insurmountable obstacle In
the way of arbitration. Through the CO.
operation of the organizers and employees
the former were quickly withdrawn from
the Clifton Morenc district, and almost
contemporaneously with their withdraw
al, a proposition for conference with
a committee of seven elected workmen
was presented to the managers. Reluc-
family the proposition was acceded to by
Messrs. Carmichael, Mclean and Bennie.
The committee of seven employees reach
ed FL Paso only to be speedily rejected
as conferees on the ground that they
were officers of the Clifton-Morenci local
federation of miners At the same time
the committeeman were informed that if
a number of representatives not holding |
positions as officers or organizers of the
federation should be elected by the
workmen, the managers would then pro-
ceed to ascertain whether five OF the
number would be acceptable as confer
ees. 1t may have been presumed by the
company managers that a proposal SO
biased and unfair to the employees would
be promptly rejected, and that, in this
way, the attempts at cOnciliation would
summarily cease. To the credit OF the
workmen, however, be it said that they
at once met the managers demands de-
spite the manifest unfairness of giving
the companies choice in the selection
of the employees committee. A new del
egation of fifteen was at once chosen in
meetings regularly held, and a list of the
tentative conferees sent to the managers
in FL Paso.
After parying between themselves for
a day or two, during which interval the
companies agents in Clifton and Nor
enci were called upon for information re-
garding the records and standing OF the
fifteen elected committeeman, the mine
managers, having no apparent alterna-
tive in the court of public opinion, indi-
Gated five of the fifteen delegates as be-
ing suitable for admission to their pres
ence for the purpose, not OF arbitration,
but only for full and free discussion"
OF existing differences. Just how full
and free" this discussion proved to be
may be inferred from the fact that at
the first interview following the five
committeemen's arrival in FL Paso the
managers announced that they would
first interrogate the workingmen's dele.
gates regarding their side of the situa-
tion, and, thereafter, would hear the in
quiries and requests of the latter. The
first part of this impromptu understand
ing was punctiliously and thoroughly
carried out, but after approximately
three days meeting had been occupied
by the managers in obtaining such infor-
nation as they desired, the employees
committee, instead OF being encouraged
to present its questions and proposals,
was suddenly confronted with the COM
panies' written statement, which, in sub
stance, demanded that the men return to
work under the conditions which led to
the strike. and, thereafter, await the
pleasure and magnanimity of the mana
gers in considering the matter of wage
adjustment.
Almost simultaneously with the flash
ing of this written demand on the work
mems committee, the managers, either
personally, or through their attorneys
gave out to the press, subject to release
three days later, story thousands o.
words lono in which their version of tn,