Denver labor bulletin., 1915-08-28
CONTINUED from Page ons-,

power not only 10 cohtroi the ues.lhIcs
and dictate the circumstances of life for
millions of wage earners and for entire
communities, but to subsidize and con-
troll to a large degree those agencies that
mold the public opinion of a nation. Even
| should Mr.. Rockefeller change over night,
| those possibilities of evil would remain
inherent in our economic and industrial
| situation. as a menace to freedom and
| democracy.
| Every important statement of fact
contained in the report. it is said, is
established by quotations from the cor
respondence or testimony of responsible
| executive officials of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron company or of Mr.. Rockefeller
and members of his personal staff The
report contains copious extracts from the
testimony and correspondence OF Mr..
Rockefeller, jr.. and Starr J. Murphy. his
personal attorney in New York; J. f.
| Welborn, president of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron company; L. NJ. Bowers, chair
man of the executive department OF the
| Colorado Fuel and Iron company; the
Rev. Eugene S. Gaddis, superintendent OF
the company's sociological department,
during the strike and until February,
| 1915 and others.
|
| The report in discussing the COM
pany's rejection of President Wilson's
plan for a settlement OF the strike. says:
''Mr. 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 company's letter of rejection. This
/ I,r Wal-
born in collaboration with Mr.. Ivy l..
Lee. a member Of Mr.. Rockefeller's per
sonal staff. whom he had sent to Colo
RADIO for the purpose. Mr.. Rockefeller
personal staff in New York had become
| impressed with the strong public senti-
ment supporting the presidents proposal
and in drafting their letter of rejection
to the president, Messrs. Welborn and
Lee inserted the following:
" "A plan to secure harmonious rela
| tions in some industries or sections of
the country would not necessarily apply
to our peculiar conditions. We are now
developing an even more comprehensive
plan. embodying the results of our prac-
teal experience. which will, we feel con-
fident, result in a closer understanding
between ourselves and our men,. This
plan contemplates not only provision for
the redress of grievances. but for a con-
tinuous effort to promote the welfare
and the good will of our employes.e
"This letter was signed by Mr. Wei
born and was dispatched on September
Is. 1914. On the following day. Sep
tember 10. Mr.. Welborn wrote to Mr..
Murphy. Mr.. Rockefeller's personal at
torney in. New York:
I appreciate your very thoughtful
letter OF the 18th inst. with suggestions
for consideration IN THE EVENT OF
IT'S BEING NECESSARY TO PROPOSE
SOME PLAN TO TAKE THE PLACE
OF THAT PRESENTED TO Us BY
THE PRESIDENT"
John DIS Will Supreme.
The political influence Of the Roeke-
feIler company and its associates is de-
clared to be greater today than ever
before. as a result of the failure OF the
strike. The report says:
'The commission is told by Mr. w. J..
Mackenzie King, expert on industrial re-
lations for Mr.. Rockefeller. ir that Mr..
Rockefeller's will and conscience are to-
day the most potent factor to be consid-
| cred in any effort to bring about an inn
provement of conditions. While physical
and material conditions in the coal
camps NAV be improved to some extent
as n result of the publicity given 10 ex-
isting abuses. these improvements, If
| they come. will be granted as a charity,
and there is as yet no indication that the
| inhabitants of the coal camps are nearer
the achievement of industrial and polit-
ical democracy than they were when the
| strike began. On the other hand. the
arrest. persecution and conviction of un-
ion officials and strikers. with the aid
of attorneys and detectives in the en-
ploy of the Colorado Fuel and Iron COM
pany. and by direction of public officials
placed in office largely thru the com
pany's influence. indicate plainly that
the reverse is true. How the Colorado
Fuel and Iron company obtained the new
lease Of political power by which il pro-
cured these prosecutions is well shown
by the following extract from the testi-
mony OF Mr.. J.. NJ. Bowers. chairman Of
| the executive department of the COM
| pany. given before the commission in
Washington on May "a. Mr.. Bowers had
testified that the company turned $50
men out of its offices on election day to
| work for prohibition. which was hound
mp with the candidates. of Mr.. Carlson
for governor and Mr.. Farrar for attorney
general Both these candidates. were
successful.
Bowers Tells How It's Done
''Mr. Bowers: Let me explain. !
don't mean we turned them out to carry
the election. 1t was on election day,
but we were out on the campaign and
had a fight on and had practically no
funds to carry on the campaign, and
they wanted men to do the work. to do
the ward work and distribute literature
and all that sort of thing; and the coal
operators, not only the coal operators
but everybody that was interested in
the question of prohibition at the cleo
tion turned out their office men, and
had been-by the way ! had nothing to
do with raiciinn oui fhaf opo L,.,.I 4 a NJ