The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-03-26
HOUSE REPORT
ON Mine STRIKE
Colorado Operators Accused of
Using Unfair Methods.

n orado coal mine strike of a year
- ago a subcommittee of the house
committee on mines severely crit
icised John ID. Rockefeller, Jr., and de-
clared that the state militia fought
chiefly for the operators, though the
latter We're exculpated from the charges
of peonage and restraint of trade.
This strike, having been settled, no
specific recommendations were made,
but 1t was suggested that a new fed
eral law should be enacted to cover
all such conditions that might arise in
the future.
Referring to Mr.. Rockefeller, the
committee declares that he did nothing
to improve the condition of the employ
ees Of the company III which be is
stakeholder and director.
Mr.. Rockefeller" says the report. "a
large stockholder of the most powerful
company In the state, has done a great
deal for the uplift OF people in other
parts of the country and in foreign
lands, spending millions Of dollars in
this work, yet he has not endeavored
to improve the condition of the more
than 6,000 employees in the company
with which he is connected, and has
not visited the state for more than ten
years.
1T seems to have been his practice
to select such men as he thought best
for him and then look only to them
for the management, without any per
sonal knowledge of the conditions.
1T is true that he did spend a large
part of his profits coming from the
Colorado Industrial company, a part
Of the Colorado Fuel and Iron com
pany, In the bettering of conditions in
other parts Of the country, but what
of that when the money is gained in
such a way and at such expense to the
state and its people?
"Mr. Rockefeller before the commit
tee in Washington said he would not
agree to arbitrate, for the reason that
he was fighting for a great principle
and would sacrifice all his property for
the principle of every man to be free
TO work for whom he pleases and on
such terms as best suits the worker.
"Mr Rockefeller speaking as a di-
rector of the Colorado Fuel and Iron
company, not having attended a meet
ing of the stockholders or directors in
ten years, uttering this sentiment of
liberty for the working people Of his
company and of the whole country.
should remember that for thirty years
there has been the fiercest struggle
among the workers in the mines of
Colorado
"He may WIN strike by starvation
under the false banner of liberty for
the workingman, but we do not believe
he can maintain peace under such con
ditions as exist in that state.
"Mr Rockefeller was not a good
Judge of conditions in Colorado and
knew nothing about them. He was
not willing to submit to a fair board
OF arbiters to settle this strike He
was obstinate, and the statement that
he was fighting for liberty for the
workingman will not bear investiga-
ton The strike could have been set
tied without recognition Of the union
had he desired to do so, and the en-
ployees could have worked for him
whether members of the union or not
I'VE believe he did not desire to arbi-
trate and in that way end this strike,
and one must conclude he would rath-
er spend the money of the company
for guns, pay of detectives and mine
guards and starve the strikers into
submission
"On the other hand, the miners were
insistent on the recognition of their
union. In the employment of force to
win the strike they went beyond the
rights of lawabiding citizens and com
mitted acts Of violence They always,
however, seemed willing to meet and
endeavor to settle the dispute by arbi-
tration, and it is believed that set
tlement could have been made on a
basis fair to both the employer and
employee"