Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-09-24
COLORADO FUEL
FIRM ASKS FOR
EARLY DECISION
Question Of Further Hear
ings in Trinidad Mine
Trouble Not Decided;
Urge Miners to Quit.
tBy The Associated Press

Trinidad, Colo, Sept. 23 (by the
Associated Press. )-Early decision
in the dispute Of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron company and its en-
ployes was requested Of the state
industrial commission yesterday
by Fred Farrar, attorney for the
company, who declared the present
uncertainty was causing a hard
ship on the miners. The request
followed an announcement by j.
c. Bell, chairman of the commits
sion, that decision would be
handed down after completion of
the present scheduled hearings
which are expected to end here
Saturday.
Members of the commission
stated this morning that the ques-
ton of further hearings had not
been determined upon. This will in
volve a decision as to whether
hearings will be held in Fremont
and Gunnison counties, where
1000 miners quit work the week
following wage cuts in Huerfano
and Las Animas counties, Their ac-
ton Is said to have followed the
sending of resolutions from Huer-
fano county asking them to quit
work" until the wage controversy
between the Colorado Fuel and
Iron company and its employees was
definitely settled.
The resolution was said to have
been adopted by the local union
of the United Mines Workers at
Pictou Huerfano county and en-
dorsed by other locals in that dis
trict. 1t was not signed by any of
the officers of the union.
The commission has not decided
whether or not it will be necessary
to hold hearings in that district to
determine whether the miners
have violated the thirty-day clause
of the state industrial law.
The decision as to whether the
proposed blanket hearing. on the
question of fair wage will be
held, has not been determined,
members of the commission said.
They explained that these ques-
tons cannot be decided upon the
present series Of hearings and de-
termined Just what the scope of
present investigation Is and what
points will be covered in their de-
cision.
If the commission covers the
wage issue in its decision on the
scheduled hearings ending tomor-
row, It would put a different as
pect on the future course, it is be-
lieved. In that event hearings
would have to be held, IL a reduced
wage is awarded to the Colorado
Fuel and Iron company on the no
tices of the two coal companies in
Ell Paso county that have filed no
tees of reduction of from 10 to 20
per cent, and on the notice of the
Victor-American Fuel company
that it will expect a reduction If
one is awarded to its competitors.
If the commission does not award
4 reduction to the Colorado Fuel
and Iron company in the present
the cases of the Ell
Paos county coal companies re-
main to be disposed of. And 1t is
not believed that the Colorado Fuel
and Iron company will abandon its
attempt for an investigation even
e the decision in tie present issue
Is unfavorable.
All of these possibilities are fur
her complicated by the apparently
decision of the United
Mine Workers to accept no wage
'eductions during the life OF the
wage award of the bituminous coal
guaranteeing wages
until April I, 1922. Officials of
he United Mine Workers have an
bounced they will call strike In
,very mine where a reduction Is
attempted and declare they are
in their position by the
organization.
The hearing at Frederick mine
opened with two of the three COM
present Chairman j. Z.
Bell having been called to Denver
o represent the commission in a
uit in the district court there over
he investment of commission
unds. 1t is not known whether
n not Chairman Bell will return
or the hearing tomorrow.
James O'Neill, superintendent of
he Frederick mine, testified that
rs men out of Pts on the mine
Jay roll had signed the petition
or a reduction in wages. He said !
he petition was circulated by !
yorkmen without suggestion of |
officials. Employees of |
he mine corroborated his testi-
nony.
1t was brought out by cross exam |
nation that the men had a meeting
t which a majority voted for the
wage reduction. |
James Perretti, camp marshal,
that he had torn down a
Iotice posted at the company store
alling upon the men to strike
gainst the wage reduction. The
Iotice, he said, was written on I
tationery of the local union of the
United Mine Workers Of America