Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-03-02
IA|u|I|Ak[N BRUTAL
N STRIKE ZONE
SEVERE ARRANGEMENT OF METH.
OBS DURING COLORADO COAL
STRIKE.
MEMBERS OF HOUSE
CONCLUDE INQUIRY
State Miiitiamen Held to Have Been
Working ia Interests Of Operators
and Guilty Of Many Brutalities-
Adjutant General Chase Denouneed-
No Evidence Of Peonaee.

Washington, March "a scathing
| arraignment of the Colorado militia for
its treatment of striking miners and
their families is contained in a volu-
n7inous report submitted to the house
! today by the mines and mining SUD
! committee. which investigated cQnoi-
tons in the Colorado coal fields under
resolution adopted year ago IN jan
uary. While 5<coring conditions gener-
ally in the coal fields and criticising
many of the acts of the mine opefat-
ors, including alleged violations OIL
state laws. the committee reports thal
no evidence was found of conspiracy
in restraint of trade TO limit the OUT
put OF the mines. nor conclusive PROOF
Of the existence of peonage.
The strike was settled long before
In. committee completed its report, SO
no specific recommendations are made.
The committee appeals. however, LOT
arbitration in such situations, IT de-
tclares these disturbances are nation
/ wid. in their Importance: that the led
,eral government is the only power
Ico7npeterlt TO deal with them, and, AFTER
] referring TO the testimony OF John u.
Rockefeller. Jr. who disclaimed re-
sponsfbil;ty for Colorado conditions
adds:
"Ahsen, owners or directors by
their absence from The scene of sucn
disturbances can not escape their moral
responsibility for conditions in ana
about properties in which they are
interested.
Some Testimony Diseredited.
i Liberal extracts from the 1000 pages
of testimony taken by the committee
are embodied in the report, with TINS
comment:
Considerable testimony on both
sides of the controversy, we oeile'e,
unreliable. and no confidence shouiu
be placed in it. Colorado had goo"
mining laws and such that ought 10
afford protection TO the miner IL theS
are enforced, yet in this state the per-
centage of fatalities is larger than any
T! other showing there is undoubtedly
something wrong in reference &c
managemen Of its coal mines IL 10
contended by the miners as one OF
their grievances that the operators 90
not obey the law. and however good
the laws may be il not observed tney
are of no protection.
i
state mine inspector calls attention to
the many violations of the Law by the
operators. and the miners claim this as
i one of the causes leading up to the
strike. The report of Mr.. Dalrympie
also says ne found in some cases the
operators had put IL operation new de-
yices and systems of an advantage TO
4 the miners"
Militia an Operators Side.
4 at seemed the militia was on the
side OF. the operators in this con-
troyersy.'' says the report after recit-
, ing the action OF the governor IN can
|, II ing out the state troops. and the evil
, dence seems conclusiyely to prove sucn
10 have been the case. The sooner men
armed III the service of the state learn
; that the men with whom they may deal
may be poor and ignorant and even
violators of the law. but are still hu-
man. the better 1t will be for all con
, cerned.
-.The recruiting Of mine guards as
members of the militia in our Juog-
; ment, was mistake. since intense AMI
, mostly had existed for some time be-
tween the mine guards and the miners
, and it was difficult or even Impossible
for the miners to feel that these mer
. were neutral conseryators OF the peace
Some of the militiamen seized the OPP
portunity. while clothed with the au,
thority of the state, to engage in Vari-
| GUS lawless acts.
Acts Of Brutality.
, 'In other instances the acts were Of
an immoral kind and of such nature
: as to be unfit for publication in this re-
) port. There were acts of brutality
: testified to before the committee which
might be enumerated; men on slight
E proyocation were thrown into jail anc
5 kept there without the opportunity o.
/ proving their innocence. There were
= many good men in the militia, boil
3 officers and privates. and the striker:
' testifying said that certain compa ME!
3 iwere composed of kind men and II
;. their houses were to be searched they
: asked that members of these com
t panies might be sent: but If other
n were sent to do the searching the!
: would be subjected to indignities ant
: would probably be robbed Of what
t ever they might have that the militi;
e wanted
h General Chase Denounced.
The committee denounces John ~
: Chase, adjutant general of the militi'
:, OF the state, for his refusal to testif.
: except upon condition that he woul'
s not be questioned by representative
e of the miners, and declares that h
S was overbearing to all who came
contact with him."
Reviewing the testimony OF man,
witnesses, the report says from tn
time the strike was called until tn
. federal troops were sent into the fel
!. by the president Of the United State
y there was a series OF Duties nit
Il seemed to be fierce while they 1aste
= and number Of people were killed an
:, wounded on both sides. 1t condemn
e as inexcusable both the attack on Der
II wind camp by men alleged to hav
e, been strikers as well as the assam
x upon Forbes tent colony by axme
d guards using machine gun.
e "a private guard system may
d thought necessary the committee her
d comments, "but wherever it exist
/. isooner or later trouble will occur. an
proper officers Of the law should .
70 substituted. who will be impartiai
ia maintaining peace and order
Il Testimony OF present and forme
ls icounty officials is quoted to show 81
: lforts of mine operators to contr'
e ELECTIONS in Los Animas and Huerfan
& court es. and the committees remark
8. that the manner o. selecting tn I