Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-27
COMING WEEK IS SEVERE
TEST FOR ROCKEFELLER
Will Begin Series Of Conferences
With Colorado Mining Ofl-
CialS To-Day.
TO TAKE UP FINANCIAL SIDE
Gives First Week OF His Tour OF In
spection to Personal Study of Sit
untion-Coal Business Admittedly
at Low Ebb Now.
BY WI. lIOSrIiIt.

10y WI. lIOSTTR.
| DENVER, COL. September 26.--,Iohn
| ID. Rockefeller Jr.. tomorrow will
/ Colorado coal mine problem. Begin
ming In the early morning he Will en-
! ter upon a series of conferences with
the officials of the Colorado Fucl and
Iron Company, relative To conditions in
| the mines. These conferences are eN-
! pcctcd to Lave far-renchinR effects in
shaping the future policy OF the com
paEy
Upon his own insistence. Rockefel-
Ter has given the first week of his tour
of inspection here to a personal study
of the situations in the mines. Presi-
dent Wolborn has kept away from the
district entirely, and Rockefeller has
sent such other officials as accompanied
him to the rear and insisted OH talking
alone with his employees. He believes
that he now has fair idea OF the
needs, hopes ana aspirations Of the
men.
For the lime being. therefore. the
human side will be left to itself and
the millionaire will take up with his
aides out here the financial side This
will present an entirely different prob
lem, and in handling II so that the
views of tho officials. who are respon-,
sible for dividends. will not come too
sharply into conflict with the needs
Of the employees. tho diplomacy OF Mr..
Rockefeller will he put 10 it's greatest
test.
In private conversation he has him
self admitted The difficulty of his 20
sition. He has convinced the miners
of his sincerity in desiring to better
their condition. and To build up such
relations with tl;e,r as will couducc
to permanent Industrial peace In the
district.
At the same time it is an undisputed
fact TINT the coal business. us result
of the long strike. is at Il low ebh here.
Few of the mines are working more
than two and half days week. and
there are a dozen mines in which work
has been entirely abandoned.
MAY INVOLVE EXPENSE
THAT Is NOT WARRANTED
Any scheme OF improvements IN the
mining camps such as has been hiutcd
at by MIR. Rockefeller, may involve an
expense that will not he warranted
by the finances OF the company Ills
competitors in tho same field Will also
have TO be considered and inasmuch
rs Mr. Rockefeller in taking active
control OF his fathers interests is plan
Ming ahead. he must give n careful owe
10 financial interests in the East which
lie cannot afford to oppose to the point
Of creating antaEcnsms that may rise
up TO plague him later.
Rockefeller has stated in modest
way that he did not care to seem to
a n nh
man aud attempting to upset conditions,
or to dictate to the cighty-odd opera
tors in Colorado how they should run
their plants.
In the next few days therefore q
new test Will he applied TO his abilities.
ana the people OF Colorado and per
haps throuGhou the country will await
with mere than idle curiosity the out
come of his conferences For out here
ut least the point is being made in all
fricndlincss.
1T is all very we'll for Mr. Rookie
Teller TO como here and talk with the
men and minelc with them on an equal
basis. to go into the mines, to enter
'heT homes, even TO sleeping i'm one
over night. IT is good for him to dance
with the wives and daughters OF the
miners. and to present them with band
stands. Wc have noted all this WIFI,
surprise and pleasure. and willingly
admit that he is an altogether different
man. democratic. congcniaI. sympa-
thetic and human, from what we had
thought he was. But Colorado has been
rent and torn for three years by civil
strife that has conferred principally in
his coal mines. What is he now going
TO do for Colorado and her miners to
| make this condition impossible in the
| futurc?"
This Is the question which Mr.
Rockefeller must answer through the
| results of the conferences upon which
he is embarking tomorrow.
MEANS TO DO ALI. THAT
IS HUMANITY POSSIBLE,
1t Is fair to him to say that he means
to do all that Is humanity possible, from
his own standpoint. Even Lawson, tho
miners leader, locked up in Trinidad
Jail under conviction of murder, ad-
mits his belief in Rockefcuer's sim
cerity Perhaps It is also fair to point
out that organized labor is not show
Ing the disposition to cooperate with
| Rockefeller to the extent that might
, DO desirable.
/ Word was conveyed to Rockefeller on
| Saturday that committee from the
| international Federation Of Mine Work
| ers might ask Il conference with him
+, lie at once replieu that he would be
| glad TO meet any one who asked to see
him. and it can be said that he was
willing to meet a committee even as
representing union labor. But word
reached Denver to-day that the inter
national federation had abandoned It's
notion of comforting with Mr.. Rookie
teller. and that tho proposed confer.
ence would not take place.
Rockefeller was silent about the mat
ter to-day. but 1t is believed that he
feels he cannot he subjected to the
criticism OF not looking into both sides
OF the question II the leaders of the
organization adopt this attitude toward
him
Rockefeller spent to-day on the ranct
, Of j. l.. Welhorn, fifteen miles out OF