The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-02

such 10 have been the case. The
sooner men armed IN the service OF
the state learn that the men with
whom they mas deal may be poor and
ignorant, and even vlolators of the
law. hut are still human. the better 10
viii Oe for all concerned.
"The recruiting Of mine guards as
members Of the militia, In our Judg-
ment was a mistake, since Intense
luminosity had existed for some time
between the mine guards and the
miners and 1t was difficult or even Inn
possible for the miners 10 feel that
these men were neutral conservators
Of the pecea. Some OF the militia
men seized the opportunity, while
clothed with the authority Of the
state to engage In various lawlcss
acts.
"In other Instances the acts we're
OF an immoral kind and OF such a
nature as TO be unit for publication
In his report. There were acts OF
brutality testified 20 before the com
mittee which might be enumerated
men on slight prOvocation were
thrown into Jail and kept there with
out the opportunity Of proving their
locence. There were many good
men in the militia, both officers and
p~rivatcs and the strikers t%estifying
said that certain companies we're
composed OF kind men and " their
houses were 20 be Aearched they were
asked that members OF these com
panles might be sent and II others
were sent To do the searching, they
would be subjected to %indignities and
probably be robbed OF whatever they
might have that the militia wanted.
The committee denounced John NJ.
Chase. adjutant general OF the mil
tia Of the state for his refusal to tes-
tify except upon the condition that
ne would not be questioned by repre-
scntatives of the miners. and declares
that he was oyerbearing TO all who
came In contact with him."
Reviewing n testimony of many
witnesses. the report say from the
time the strike was called until the
federal troops were sent into the field
by the president OF the United States,
there was "A series OF BATTLES which
! seemed TO ne fierce while they lasted
ara a number Of people were killed
and wounded on botn sides. II con-
UNNflNN Az lNNMA NNhNAf hNAN NV ~
| on Berwind camp. by many alleged 20
have been strikers, as well as the as
sault upon Forbes tent colony by
armed guards using a machine gun.
"A private guard system may be
thought necessary the committed
here comments. hut wherever IL ex-
lists. sooner or later trouble will oc-
cur and the proper officers Of the law
! should be substituted. who viii Oe.
I Impartial in maintaining peace and
/ order"
Testimony 81 present and fOrmer
/ county officials is quoted 20 show ef-
| forts Of mine operators To control
elections in Las Animas and Huer-
fame counties and the committee re-
marks that the manne Of selecting
/ iuries In these counties, where. ao-.
cording to witnesses in one case. at
least seven out Of twelve jurors were
deputy shcrins, appears To be against
the provisions Of the law
Some OF the men brought into COL
orado by detective agencies employed
To- guard the mines, The committee
finds, had been In the same kind Of
service In West virginia n ;hey
brought with them the same machine
gun which had been used In the ar
mored car against strikers In mat
state.
Concerning the charge that the OPP
orators were guilty Of peonage. the
! committee reports.
we did not md il clearly proved
hat a condition of peonage existed
IN the coal fields Of Colorado but we
found that during the strike men
were brought In from other states by
the car and trainload and were deliy-
erde to the mining camps under
guard Of the militia. many of them
being foreigners and unacquainted
with the work Of mining coal. We
do not believe II was proved thai the
operators forcioly kept men in camn
until their debts were paid, hut thaI
they rathe endeavored to hold those
who already were In camn before the
strike and to prevent tl.,se who had
been taken In as strikebreakers from
going outside
Declaring that the min troubles
were nationwide in scope. the COM
mittee reaches this conclusion;
1t should be the duty OF the gov
eminent 10 assist any states In set
Ting a dispute that is nationwide IN
rs scope: and Il any federal law Fan
br enacted that viii help not only
Colorado but any other state that may
oo similarly situated. II Is the duty OF
congress To speedily put upon the
statute books the necessary laws so
that such Industrial disturbances may
forever ceuse.'
Tho comr.ittoe criticizes the state
authorities for failing to prevent the
sale Of firearms to the contending
forces.
Criticism IN directed also at condi-
items In Incorporated towns where
the companies were permitted tn put
up a sign private property" and x
cludc all except hose whom they see
~ to permit To eater. an the officials
OF the city. the mayor. and the school
board, being officials OF the mining
companies.
The report declares That John ID.
Rockefeller. Jr.. did nothing 10 inn
prove the condition of the employees
of the company in which he IN stock
holder and director. The report says: