The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-02
.SCATH|NG REPORT
MINERS PROBE
Congress Committee
Arr aigns Colorado
Militia for It's Part in
Recent Strike
ROCKEFELLER is
ALSO REBUKED
Absentee Owners or Directors Cannot
Escape Moral Responsibility for
Conditions in and About Properties
in Which They Are Interested
By Associated Press.

Washington, March "a scathing
arraignment of the Colorado militia for
its treatment of striking miners and
their families is contained in report
submitted to the House to-day by the
Mines and Mining committee,
which investigated conditions in the
Colorado coal fields under a resolution
adopted year ago in January.
While scoring conditions generally in
the coal fields AMI criticis;ng many of
the acts of the mine operators, includ-
ing alleged violation of State laws, the
committee reports that no evidence was
found of a conspiracy in restraint of
trade to limit the output of the mines,
nor conclusive proof of the existence of
peonage.
Appeals for Arbitration
The strike was settled long before
the committee completed its report, so
no specific recommendation are made.
The committee appeals, however, for
arbitration in such situations. 1t de-
clares that these disturbances are ma
tion-wide in their Importance; that the
federal government is the only power
competent to deal with them, and, aft
er referring TO the testimony of John
ID. Rockefeller, Jr., who disclaimed re-
sponsibility for Colorado conditions,
adds:
Absentee owners or directors by
their absence from the scene of such
disturbances cannot escape their moral
responsibility for conditions in and
about properties in which they are in
terested.
Militia on Side of Operators
1T seemed the militia was on the
side of the operators in this contro-
versy,' says the report after reciting
the action of the Governor in calling
out the State troops, "and the evil
dence seems conclusively to prove such
to have been the case. The sooner men
armed in the service of the State learn
that the men whom they may deal may
be POOR and ignorant and even violators
of the law, but are still human, the
better it will be for all concerned -
The committee denounces John NJ.
Chase, adjutant general of the militia
OF the State, for his refusal to testify
except upon condition that he would
not be questioned by representatives of
the miners and declares that he "was
over-bearing to all who came in con
tact with him.
The committee declares that John D..
Rockefeller, Jr., did nothing to inn
prove the condition OF the employees of
the company, in which he is stock
holder and director.
Arraignment Of Rockefeller
Mr.. Rockefeller, says the report,
ga large stockholder of the most pow
erful company in the State, has done
n great deal for the upift of people
in other parts Of the country and in
foreign lands, spending millions of dol
lars in this work, yet he has not en-
deavored to improve the condition of
the more than 5000 employees in the
company with which he is connected,
and has not visited the State for more
than ten years.
Mr.. Rockefeller is a long-distance
director, not having attended a meet
ing of the stockholders or directors of
the company in 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 manage
ment, without any personal knowledge
of the conditions. 1t is true that
he did spend large part of his profits
coming from the Colorado Industrial
Company, a part of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company, in the bettering of
conditions in other parts of the coun-
try, but what of that when the money
is gained in such way and at such eX-
pense to the State and Its people?'