Denver labor bulletin., 1915-10-09
John D. Assists in Adopt
ing Rules to Govern
Makes Speach in Which He Refers
to Coal Dieeers as Partners with
Rim and Jesse Welborn In
CT. g l. Corporation

A brand new labor union" with Jesse
=. Welborn, president of the Colorado
Fuel and Iron company as its executive
head, w. L. Mackenzie King, social well
fare expert imported from Canada as
the guiding spirit, and John ID. Rookie
feller, jr., as the godfather, was born in
Pueblo last Saturday. 1t is a novelty
in Colorado. but is constructed along
lines familiar to those who have watched
attempts of big corporations elsewhere
to substitute something just as good
for bona fide democratic labor unions
The meeting at which this new child oi
the Rockefeller system was given forth
took place in a club house on the grounds
OF the Colorado Fuel and Iron steel
plant IL was ATTENDED by young Rocke-
Teller and his retinue OF attendants, IN
cluding a dozen newspaper men from the
East. officials and mine superintendent.
and carefully chosen representatives OF
the men employed in the eighteen coal
camps owned by the Rockefeller
Twenty Nationalities There.
In "a graphic report printed in a cor
poration daily paper il ia said that in
the group facing the millionaire were
white men, negroes, Italians, Austrians,
Poles liungarians, Welshmen, Scotch
rnen--in all nearly score Of nationali-
tics. These men were the elected repre-
-entatives OF all the miners in Mr.
Rookcfeller's employ. They were chosen
by secret ballot without interference or
Influence on the part OF the company
management
II was further stated In this same
paper that "a number of these employees
are members in good standing Of the
United Mine Workers OF America This
j. stoutiy denied by officials OF the
union In Denver. who assert that not
n single union man was prcsent when
the Rockefeller union" came forth.
Employees Are Embarrassed
When all were comfortably seated,
Tho evidently embarrassed and cigars
bearing a Pennsylvania label had been
passed around. the son OF Americas
richest man stood forth, In Bible class
fashion, and addressed the applicants
for membership. a few of whom could
understand English, as follows;
MIR. President and fellow members OF
the Colorado Fuel and Iron company, VIC
meet here today as partners. This Is
the first time have had an opportunity
TO meet the employees and officers to-
scther. l shall remember this occasion
TO my dying day. Two weeks ago
YOU, but now I feel that thru my trip
to your homes in the coal camps we are
well acquainted. We meet today as
friends. IL is only by your courtesy
am here. for / am neither a representa-
tive of the employees nor an officer of
the company. ! am only director.
Defines a Corporation.
II wan. to say a few words outlining
fn kuf 4 mi fRs
poration. The first one Is the stock
holders. They put up the money to
build aud operate the plant. The sec
nnd part is the directors. whose bust
ness Il j. to see that the chief Officers
are wisely selected and to see that large
policies are formed in the right manner.
The third part is the officers. They are
chosen TO see to the current operation
of the business on the ground. Last,
hut by no means least, comes the en-
ploycs-who furnish the SKIN and work
IL uphold all the rest"
Young Rockefeller piled a quantity of
silver money upon miniature table.
"lf the corporation is run right and is
on the level You can commence piling
up the earnings, just as ! am piiing up
this money here" he said. Nov then,
who gets the first crack at the earnings
Of the corporationi You working men,
of course You get your salaries first
OF all every two weeks. That never
fails. The officers get their pay after
yours. The directors come next"
IL will be noted that Rockefeller jol-
lied the union labor" delegates by re-
lcrring to their share as Salaries" and
did not use the plcbian word wages"
Discloscs Sense to Criticism.
Thcn he continued: "Thc whole coun.
try has been told that the Rockcfcllcrs
tho greatest scandal on carth-have
skinned millions out of Colorado and
YOU men and have ground you down to
the bone. have heard men in New
York say, If you see that crook OF
John d. Rockefeller. ir., shoot him down
like dog Is not that the truthi
Haven't you men heard people say thatf
But there is another side TO the mat
ter. For the S34,0O0,000 that the COM
mon stockholders have put into this
company not one dollar has been paid
back That does not look like opprcs-
sion, does itf | want you to put that
in your pipe and smoke IL. The stock
holders have been very patient. They
Nave taken lot of abuse simply be-
cause the public did not know the facts.
'Tf We men had got together in
meeting like this months OF years ago
and had talked over these facts as man
TO man, am confident there never