The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-17
EXPLAINING COLORADO
WAS DIFFICULT Task
letters Back of Chairman Walsh's
Attack on Rockefeller Made
Public.

WASHINGTON, May lb.-The 1nuus-
trial Relations Commission today
made public a batch OF letters that
passed between John d. Rockefeller,
Jr., and Ivy Lee, his publicity agent
s IN regard to the Colorado strike situa-
ton. II was this collection of let
ters upon which Chairman Walsh
based, in part, his recent public at
tack on MIR. Rockefeller
The chairman charged, among
other things, that Mr.. Rockefellers
influence in the strike situation had
extended even TO the State house AT
Denver, and that he had presumed
20 dictate letters that went out TO the
President of the United States and to
thu governors OF States over the sig
nature of the Governor Of Colorado.
". Governor Ammons, of Colorado. I'M
mediateIy characterized this statement
as q ''lie," and Mr.. Rockefeller denied
ID. Mr. Rockefeller explained that
Major w j. Roughton. adjutant- gen
a%eral of Colorado had sought Mr.. Lee
advice as to ways of getting the real
facts before the public. Lee suggested
that Governor Ammons might write "A
lAfter to President Wilson and 10 the
\ governors of cher States setting forth
Y the situation as he saw 1t. Major
sHoughton asked Lee TO make his sug-
gesfion concrete by preparing draft
/. OF a letter.
Ammon. Knew Nothing of IL.
According to Mr.. Rockefeller mis-
publicity agent drafted his ideas and
1 sent them to Major Boughton, but
|. t11ey never were submitted to Cover
nsr Ammops and the governor, II
i WAS asserted never was aware that
such suggestion had been made.
The Rockefeller-Lee correspondence
made public today contains several
references to the proposed Ammons
letter.
In a letter written by Mr.. Rookie
teller to Mr.. Lee on June 10. 1919
Mr. Rockefeller refers TO memoran-
dunn on the Color7pio situation dic-
fated BIZ him with Il view to correct
ing newspaper misstatements. Theh
occurs this sentence:
Several points In my memorandum
howeyer could well. ever more APP
a,repriateiy. be used in the letter from
f,overuor Ammons to President VIII
gen v hich you are proposing 10 pre-
# nase as soon as the ma tors memoran'
dunn reaches you. which 1 nope VIII
satye shortly"
I'm acknowledging r1e receipt oil
Mr. fsockefeller's memorandum, Mr.
lee in a letter dated June II. says:
s1.gt.naant the best thing we can
20. woull he to give the letter from
s4asvernor Ammons To President VIII
son our attention, and hope that we
can accomplish something very soon.
Not Satisfied With Draft.
ON June 20 Mr.. Rockefeller wrote
to Lee:
~ xhail be interested TO see the
sirtfer from Governor Ammons TO the
u ss.sFn,.vS. nd Also the Tarrytown ar
tialss. which rou are preparing"
Ar, Lee writes TO Mr. Rockefeller
again on July 2:
with reference to tne letter from
dsosernor Ammons. / am not entirely
satisfied with the draft l prepared and
IA am making certain amendments TO
sfta@ sent out draft Tor discussion.
#b,it will get II into shape within A
day or go. and then senc YOU copy.
The hiea is--and il is a difficult one
sto execute--to prepare very brief
statement of the case which will COM
maud public attention rather than to
make any very comprehensive state
ment of the situation"
Mr.. Lee explained TO Mr.. Rookie
teller in the letters his plans for get
ting the facts OF the Colorado situa-
fion before the public, and thus In
dHencing opinion. One OF his plans
was 10 send out series of leaflets
TO be issued by the operators al Dem
yer, and giving their side of the con-
troyersy He told Mr., Rockefeller
that this was the method he had used
for the Pennsylvania Railroad In the
freight rates.