The copper era and Morenci leader., 1919-02-14
VERDE MINES ISSUE JOINT ULT|MATUM
 ID STRIKERS
Two of Largest Employers in Jerome District Threaten to Close Down Their Properties if Employees Re- fuse to Return to Work by Thurs day.

Jerome, AriZ., Feb. 1.-The mana gers of the United Verde mine and the United Verde extension, two of the largest employers in the district with more than 900 men on their payrolls issued a joint ultimatum to the workers late to-day, threaten ing to shut down. both properties in definitely unless by Thursday sui ficient employees return to work to keep the smelters supplied with ore.
 Robert E. Tally, assistant general manager of the United Verde, and George Kingdom, manager of the United Verde extension. said in their statement dealing with the situ- ation which followed a 75-cent-a-day wage cut, that the present tieup had been brought about by the leadership of less than 200 I. w. w. members. Late today Deputy Sheriff Fred Hawkins and City Marshal J. G. Crowley raided an open air meeting attended by $50 men and rushed off to jail five of the ringleaders. The charge was trespass, as the meeting was held on ground belonging to the Hull Copper Company.
 Five Leaders Arrested Two chairmen of the meeting and three others were seized by the two officers and rushed away in an auto mobile, while the remainder of the crowd, led by a Slav miner. paraded up town and demanded of Lieutenant John Sellers, commanding 25 men of the Third Infantry here, that the prisoners be released The officer told them he could do nothing for them.
 The number of men arrested since yesterday morning now has reached l37. Attempts have been made to es- itablish picket lines, but as fast as the pickets appear they are arrested. |, The Jerome miners union has en- dorsed the instructions that the men remain at work under protest pend | ing the arrival of the federal media |, tor, Davies but the men remain off the jobs, saying that they do not want to be called "scabs''. and refus- , ing to risk open battle with the radi- cab element.
 1 Mediator Davies is reported to he on his way from Washington under instructions from Secretary of Labor i Wilson.
 ] I. w. w. Starts Trouble They assert that the trouble was started by members of the I. w w and that union workers are afraid of violence if they obey the instructions of their leaders and turn to in'' the shafts.
 When the whistle blew at the United Verde, only IA men lined UT to go to work. These were sent away and the same conditions are lsaid to obtain in the other big shafts practically all the 4 900 miners of the district refraining from courtins trouble by attempting to resume theil tasks. The only strike order issued so far has been that of mass meet ing held outside the city limits yes terdav, led by members of the I. "
 w., the police say, when a genera
 walkout was declared and picketins
 ordered comm menced. So far, however
 there has been no picketing.
 Jerome Mines Close Down
 The copper producing mines of th'
 Jerome district, including the United
 Verde and United Verde Extension
 closed down Thursday morning O
 this week for a period of from sil
 to eight months following laho
 troubles which started last Monda!
 when the companies announced a re
 duction in the sliding scale caused
 by the stagnant condition of tn copper market. Hywel Davies, fed eral mediator is on the way to Ja lrome from Washington, D. c.
 Chas. H. Mover, of Denver, state
 that the trouble at Jerome was fo Imented by I. W. w. agitatorsa
 Six thousand miners and othe
 workers, with a tributary population
 of IS GOO is affected by the shu
 down.
 Department of Justice agents ar,
 on the ground and several arrest have been made.