Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-27
LAYS MINE STRIKE
AT0PERATORS' DOOR
Report of G. P. West to Indus
:: trial Relations Commits
sion Made Public.
SUFFERING AND DISORDER
is CHARGED TO OWNERS
Especial Blame Is Placed Upon
Shoulders of John D. Rockefeller
and His Son.

CHICAGO, August e7.-Responsibil-
ity for the coal miners strike in Col
orado In 1918 and 1914 is placed
squarely on the shoulders Of the OPP
orators in the report of George +. west,
made public today by the United States
commission Industrial relations. The
suffering and disorders which followed
in the train of the strike are charge
able to the mine operators also, the
report states.
Especial blame for the strike and the
disorders In Colorado is placed upon
the shoulders of John D. Rockefeller
and John d Rockefeller, jr., who con-
troll the Colorado Fuel and Iron Com
pany That company, the report de-
clares, has been the leader in formulat-
ing and carrying out policies against
the strikers
Mr. Rockefeller and his son. John D.
Rockefeller, jr., are charged. first, Win
the selection of incompetent and re
dictionary agents to serve as eAecutlNe
officials in this company. and, second
with giving their heartieSt endorsement
and sllpport to these officials after they
had taken action that precipitated the
worst of the troubles.
Flouted the President.
Mr. Rockefeller. jr., is charged with
having approved measures to coerce
the state government of Colorado and
with having fouted the will of the
President of the United States.
The report says:
During all the seven tragic ana plt-
ter months that preceded Ludlow. MI.
Rockefeller wrote letter after letter IN
enthusiastic praise of men whose acts
during this period had precipitated a
reign of terror and bloodshed. 1t was
only when the Ludlow massacre filled
the press of the nation. with editorial
denunciation. when nourners in black
silently paraded in front of his New
York office. when cartoons in the con-
sentative press pilloried him and his
father before an angry public that at
last complacency g'ves way to concern
in his letters and kilograms TO Denver.
Rockefeller Responsibility.
OF Mr.. Rockefeners responsibility the
report says:
'.Mr. Rockefellers responsibility has
q significance beyond even the sinister
results of his policy In Colorado. The
perversion of and contempt for govern
rnent, the disregard OF pubic welfare,
and the defiance of public opinion dur
ing the Colorado strike must be con-
sidered as only one manifestation OF
the autocratic and anti-social spirit OF
a man whose enormous wealth gives
him infinite opportunity to act IN SINH
lar fashion in broader fields.
THE NATIONWIDE Significance and i'm
portance of the Colorado confi'c ct and
the company's ruthless pohcy OF sup,
preston are emphasized again ana
again. BY June, 1914, Mr.. Rockefeller
has formulated something like def
mite plan for nation wide campaign.
The most highly-paid publicity expert
hos
a great eastern railway. to be taken
over later as a permanent member of
Mr.. Rockefeller's staff.
Union Educational Campaign.
"A union educational campaign Is to
he conducted, and the country is to be
flooded with articles by college pro-
fessors and others bitterly denouncing
trade unions. And at the very time
when he prepares to circulate Prof.
Stevenson's Incorporate and amazing
defense of Industrial absolutiSm and
TRADE against trades unioIfs, Mr.. Rock
efeller enlists the aid of w. L. Mac
kenzie King, expert on industrial re-
lations, to devise specious substitutes
for trade unions that viii aeceive. mol
lily and soothe public opinion while
bulwarking the employers arbitrary
control
MI. ROCke1ellerS character ana policies
are important only as showing the pos
sbilities inherent in an economic and in
dustrial situation that permits one man
or a group of men to WELD such enormous
economic power, and through that power
not only to control the destinies and die
tate the circumstances of life for millions
of wage earners and for entire COM
nunities, but to subsidize and control to
a large degree those agenc es that mold
the public opinion of "a nation. Even
should MIR. Rockefeller change over night,
those possibilities of evil would remain
inherent in our economic and industrial
situation, as a menace to freedom and
democracy
Rejection of Mr.. Wilson's Plan.
The report in discussing the company's
rejection of President Wilson's plan for
a settlement of the strike, says:
MIR. Rockefeller not only rebuffed the
President by denying his earnest request
but, If the letters Of his agents may be
relied upon. he apparently deceived the
President and the public by means of the
conpany's letter of rejection. This letter
was written by President Welborn in COL
Elaboration with Ivy l.. Lee, member of
Mr.. Rockefeller's personal staff, whom he
had sent to Colorado for the purpose.
Discussing the causes of the strike, the
report says: