Denver labor bulletin., 1915-09-18

officials of other companies. Mr.. Rock
efeler's Endorsement and approval was
accorded promptly at the beginning OF
the strike in the form Of personal letters
to Mr.. Bowers. which were shown not
only to the executive officers OF the
company but to the heads OF other com
panies as well. II is greatly TO be
doubted il the Colorado operators could
have maintained their unyiglding ana
defiant attitude of opposition 10 the en-
lightcned public opinion OF the entire ma :
tion had they not been bulwarked by
the material and moral power welded
by the pos-essor of the hugcst private
fortune in the world.
Mr.. Rockefeller's power to direct the
policies of his own company is admitted
and needs no discussion. But IL - al
legged that the Colorado Fuel 4 from
company was but one of many, and by
itself unable to control the situation.
"Too Prominent . Place"
Examination Of the evidence shows
that Mr.. RockefelIcrs agents admitted
the company's leadership in the couusels
Of the operators during the first seven
months Of the strike.
1T was not until the horror of the
Ludlow massacre had shocked and out
ragged the nation and brought upon its
perpetrators the wrath and loatbing OF
every decent citizen that Mr.. Rockefeller,
for the first time. makes the point that
his company was but one of many. and
that Mr.. Bowers in Denver, his supreme
self-complaDcency staggered for the
minute. writes his employer 1--WE have
been given altogether too prominent \
place in this trouble
MIR. Bowers used this phrnse five
days after the Ludlow massacre. The
same sudden desire to minimize his part
in the affair. apparently animated Mr..
Rockefeller in New York at about the
same time. Telegrapbing to Mr. Bowers
on April 20. while the tide Of the ma
tion's anger still rose about him, Mr.
Rockefeller asked;
How many coal companies are in
volvcd in the striker
What proportion OF their normal to.
tai output does your company represent!
Answer 10 West Fifty-fourth street
Contrast Mr.. Bowers modesty after
Ludlow with his early boa-tfulness. On
November Is he wrote Mr.. Rockefeller
PERSONALLY the strain has bccn very
great on Mr., Welborn. who has been the
recognized leader among the opera tors .
Incapable Of Dealing Wisely.
@"While Mr.. Rockefeller may have fully
believed that conditions In the Colorado
mines had been greatly improved since
Mr.. Bowers WAS sent there, and were as
good or better than conditions prevail
| ing in other fields, II is submitted that
even u cursory reading of Mr.. Bowers
letters should have revealed to his en-
ployer that here was a man tempera.
mentally and intellectually incapable OF
dealing wisely and fairly with strike
involving the vital rights and interests
Of thousands Of employees and their fam
lilies. and seriously menacing the peace
and well being Of a state. Mr.. Bowers
letters alone should have been sufficient
to convince Mr.. Rockefeller that the
writer was irritable. arbitrary and OBJ
stinate to an exceptional degree; that
he was survival of the dark age OF
theory and practice regarding industrial
relations: that he was ignorant Of the
characters and records of the men whom
he opposed; and that finally his attitude
toward the government of the state and
nation was contcmptuous, hostile and
dcfinnt.
Support Given Labor Crushers.
.Nor could Mr.. Rockefeller be acq,iit-
ted even had Mr. Bowers concealed these
qualities in his correspondence with 20
Broadway. From the day, seven DAYS
before the strike began. when he avoided
an interview sought by mediator of
the federal government, Mr.. Rockefcl.
Ter refused to enter upon any indepcnd-
cnt investigation in order to determine
for himself the true situation in Colo
RADIO. before he threw all the enormous
power Of his personal support behind the
men who had set themselves to the task
of crushing the revolt of 5000 miners.
"Yct the men whose unsupported
word he accepted wcye almost strangers
m him They werQf mon WIN co,,ld ,,ns
have admitted the grievances complained
Of without admitting themselves guilty
Of crimes against society. But their de-