The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-02-03

CONDITIONS
House Labor Committee Con-
ducts Hearing on'I. W. W.
Situation.
MANY WITNESSES TESTIFY
Labor Conditions In Northern
Minnesota Said to Be
Abominable.
MANY WITNESSES TESTIFY

ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 1.-The
house committee on labor is de-
termined to ascertain the facts
with regard to the situation in
the lumber camps in Northern
i Minnesota.
1t took all Tuesday afternoon
to examine two witnesses, men,
bers of the Industrial Workers
OF the World, and Attorney s. NJ.
Slonim. of Duluth, the third wit
ness, did not furnish his testi-
mony until late in the night.
Several persons who have been
national figures in labor. wars
were on hand, in addition to a
score of witnesses from the range
country, including G. M. Atkin-
son, editor of The Mesaba Ore,
and Michael Boylan, mayor of
Virginia.
Ettor Scores Conditions.
Ignorance alone is responsible
for the unfair attitude shown to-
ward the I. w. w." he asserted.
1T is an organization of the
working man, the working wom-
al and the working child.
eco into the lumber camps Of
Northern Minnesota; live the
lives of the lumberjacks and then
see If you wonder at conditions
of unrest. Fancy so men, all
with wet feet and legs, retiring
at night in a small shack, un-
ventilated. To prevent putting on
wet clothing the next morning
they must hang their socks over
the only stove. This merely is
one OF the many unpleasant con-
ditions to which the lumberiack
and mine employees are sub
jected.
ut is not so much the wages
paid. Give our men fair living
conditions. Feed them fairly and
permit them to organize. Then
you have picked up the key to
the entire situation.''
Virginia Mayor Describes Situation.
Because of the large number of
witnesses to be heard, it was feared
the hearing could not be concluded
today.
Mayor Michael Boylan of Virginia
Minn., declared that only an impair
tial and thorough investigation could
bring forth the facts and show actual
conditions in Northern Minnesota.
THE miners strike was not started
by the I. w. w." he said. AFTER it
had been on for several days, the
strikers at Aurora, who were the first
to go out, appeal~d to the Western
Federation of Miners and the Amer
ican Federation of Labor and, not re-
ceiving any organizers, they then ap-
pealed to the I. ". w., who sent up
organizers.
''The strike rapidly spread from
Aurora and within a short time in
volved the entire Mesaba range. The
men were unorganized, but a great
many then became affiliated with the
I. w. w.
II believe that the investigation
should bring forth the causes of the
discomfort over conditions which
make the mining and lumber regions
such fertile fields for an organization
like the I. w. w.
During the strike Sheriff Meining
had the conditions very we'll in hand
and used good judgment in handling
matters. At no time was there such
violence and disorders as appeared in
certain newspapers.
1.-THE conditions among the miners
on the range now are better than they
. were before the strike and I do not
look for any trouble in the spring."
Slonim Speaks Out.
Attorney Slonim stated that he ap-
peared as attorney for more than lao
men who had been arrested on vari-
GUS charges growing out of the strike.
He said that 53 men were arrested
In one bunch before warrants had
been sworn out and that the county
attorneys office had dismissed 81 OF
= the cases because of lack of evidence
of any kind against the men.
! w. H. McMakon, attorney of Vir-
: ginia, was present at the hearing,
= representing the Virginia & Rainy
y Lake company. and the hearing was
marked by titls between Slonin and
81 Mcmahon bearing on this phase OF
the controversy. .s
Slonim stated that Assistant County
i51E Continued on page ~, =. :