The Coconino sun., 1915-10-29

was to oust the Mexican employees from the district During the ensu ing two weeks the Federation organ izers adopted bolder methods and by importuning. harrassing and persecut- ing the men, succeeded in forming a local organization of considerable strength. Not until then did the com panies take active measures by dis charging certain ringleaders who were guilty of fragrant breaches of dis cipline.
 On September llth two letters with demands from the agitators for con- ference with the Western Federation of Miners were dispatched to each of the three mine company managers. The old employees cf the com. panies had submitted n detailed grievances to the managers.
 The trouble was precipitated on September 11th through the sole dic- tation of the Western Federation of Miners, which, acting under the lead ership of Guy E Miller, called a general strike in the district At II D. m. the employees in the mines. con centrators and smelters of the Ari. zona Copper company were called out or forced to leave. On the following morning the employees of the Arizona and shannon companies at Clifton were ordered to cease work, and in the afternoon the smelters of the two companies at Clifton were closed down. Each and every order came from the Western Federation of Miners Such procedure as ac- companies outlawry attended the closing of the plants Opportunity was not accorded to tap matte out If the furnaces; to finish blowing the charges then in the converters. Ob- stacles were raised by the Fedora ton against efforts of the companies either to protect their properties or to save them from destruction.
 The Federation stationed pickets in and around the plants. These pickets denied entrance even to of ficers of the companies and watch men regularly employed by the com panies were run off The companies were thus forced to accept the sit uation created by the Western Fed. eration. and in order to meet 1t in the only way left open, the plants were surrendered into the care of the sheriff.
 The companies managers deter mined to appeal to their old em- ployes and agreed to meet on Sept. IT committee representing the em' ployes of the Arizona Copper com. pany. The committee which re- sponded admitted that majority of its members was chosen at meetings of the Western Federation. It was therefore Western Federation com mittee acting under explicit instruc- tions from Federation organizers. Manager Carmichael, of the Arizona company, told the committee that be- fore a conference could be held. the employees would have to send rep resentative body of men selected fairly from the ranks of former trust ed employees. Thereafter meetings organized and conducted by the West ern Federation were held and a oom- mittee made up in many instances of officers and leaders of the Western Federation were chosen.
 
 previously had made 1t clear that they were eager to confer with com mittees which were not hand picked by the Western Federation. Word was received on Sept. 20 that com mittees had been named and a joint conference was agreed upon in spite of the fact that the mine managers were convinced that tney were being deceived and the Western Fedora ton was indeed in complete control. President Mover of the Western Fed eration arrived in camp from Den. yer on Sept. 24, thus finally and effectually putting the Western Fed eratton brand upon the acts and doings of the strikers and their com mittees. Mover arranged so-called mass meetings at which resolutions were adopted. At one of these meet ings a Federation leader publicly announced that the mass meeting movement was merely c little orange juice in the castor oil to be admin lstered to the companies by the western Federation of Miners"
 A )otnt meeting was arranged on Sept. 26, at which the resolutiopA adopted at the Federation mass meet. ings were read. These resolutions called for, amoLg other things, the adoption of wage scale which would put the Detroit Copper Company and the Shannen Copper company out of business permanently, and reduce the lif1 of the A-lzona Copper company possibly fifty per cent The joint