Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-30

IF tho fpht at the Ludlow tent colony.
Mr.. Rockefeller sent brief dispatch
in renlv. reeretting the loss of life. On
the twenty-third Of April he asked MI.
Bowers if any Of the disturbances oc-
Cured in connection with mines
owned by or with former or present
employees Of the fuel company" Mr..
Bowers wired a negative reply. Later
the same day Mr.. Rockefeller tele-
grabbed for full wire reports daily
of the various disturbances and some
Of these appear in the correspondence.
On April 18th, Mr.. Bowers Wrote to
Mr.. Rockefeller enumerating objec-
tons to a cooperative agreement sent
you by Mr.. ]. B Cory, of Braddock,
Pa" The nature Of this agreement
was not revealed in the letter but it
was rejected by Mr.. Bowers because
of conditions prevailing in the mining
industry in the states west Of the Mis-
souri, INTERNATIONALLY because Of the
great number of small mines so that
no cooperative agreement has ever
been possible' OF these smaller con-
Germs. he wrote: NO dependence can
be placed on their adherence to any
working plan for any length OF time"
In this letter Mr.. Bowers takes oc-
casion TO tell Mr.. Rockefeller that he
had received" a large number of let
ters, telephone calls and personal visits
from prominent men in all lines Of
business and professions compliment
ing you on your testimony before the
congressional committee" He also
forwards a letter from George ]. Kin
dell a Denver congressman but this
letter does not appear in the CORES
pondence as given cut by the commits
sion.
on April IS, %, 30, and May /, 2, 3, 4,
and G, Messrs. Rockefeller and Bow
ers exchanged numerous kilograms re-
garding various strike disorders. news
paper accounts of the happenings and
statements by congressman and tele-
grams sent by the operators to Presi-
dent Wilson and other government Of
fcials.
On May Mr.. Bowers sent to Starr
J. Murphy a long letter containing
notes from the legal department Of the
government regarding criticism of the
company which appeared in the New
York Evening Post Of May !. These
notes were intended to show that the
reforms mentioned by MI. Bowers let
ter Of Sept. 10 had been initiated by
the company voluntary rather than
under pressure Of legislative enact
ment in Colorado. The eight-hour law,
semi monthly pay, check wcighrnen
and scale inspection. the company
stores and anti-truck act were els
cuss4d as was also the question of
armed guards. The use of these latter
was justified on the ground Of necessi-
~.
The next communication Of import
ance was dated August l. 1914, and
was addressed to W. I. Mackenzie
King. of Toronto, Canada. The COM
missions records do not show who
wrote this letter but the writer asked
Mr.. King who was about to start on a
western trip. to transmit to him his
opinion as to a plan by which an or
ganization in the mining camps could
be formed so that the men could have
a medium fGr the adjustment Of fu-
1ure grievances.
On August 16, Mr.. Bowers wrote Mr.
Rockefeller giving reasons why the
writer considered the time for the es-
Establishment of such an Organization in
opportune. Mr. Bowers feared that
the Anion leaders would advertise suct
a step as having been forced from the
companies by the strike.
He added:
AT the proper time the writer vii
give his cordial support and viii take
an active part in formulating such g
scheme and help to make il valuabl.
to both miners and the company allie
not only 10 forestal trouble bat L
bring about better feelings and condi-
tons for the mutual benefit Of all con
cerned"
TO take this up al the moment
would be most unwise in my opinion
from every viewpoint; ! feel certain
other operators would baIk, the Social.
list papers would charge US with dods-
ing and hiding behind the eleventh
hour scheme to save our faces The
union leaders use it as a CLUB TO drive
| US into some other corner.
Our rugged stand has won US every
foot we have gained and we know thai
the organization is bankrupt in this
field, while the big men in the union
are at swords points because Of thei,
failure here: so to move from our stanC
at the time that defeat seems certain
for the enemy would be decidedly IN
| wise.
The political gang at Washington
are at their wits end TO find some way
to get out Of the pit they helped those
leaders to dig, so we are encouraged tc
stick tc the job till We win
The final exchanges occurred in the
latter half Of last December and re-
lates that the company had appointed
| David Grif1ths to spend practically al
of his time at the mine investigations
and adjusting complaints"
These last communications were sent
to Mr.. Rockefeller by ]. F. Welborn
president Of the company. and detailed
at considerable length some of the ex-
periences which executive officers Of
the concern had with dissa tisfied indi-
vidual workmen
On Dec. 30, 1914, Mr. Rockefeller
wrote TO Mr.. Welborn expressing his