Arizona republican., 1921-09-04
COLORADO GOAL
 MINE SITUATION PUZZLES MINERS AND OPERATORS
Union Officials Cla i m Strike Closing Mines; Operators Say Working Force Curtailed
IRepueliean A. p. Leased wireJ

WAIsSENBURG, Colo, Sept. g. With operations of the Colorado Fuel ard Iron company mines in Huerfano and Las Animas counties virtually closed. according to vlaims of of ficials of the United Mine Workers c< America in district No. Is, and seriously curraiied. according to ad- missions by officials of the company, both sides were comparatively calm tonight. following announcement by the Colorado inecstrial commission that it had taken jurisdiction in the controversy and would conduct a bearing here the morning of Sep temher to decide whether the wage reductions announced by the com rary. effective September 1, are jus tffied .s
 Announcements tonight by John F. McLennan. president of District No Is of the mine workers, placed the number of men at work in the two counties at 26- This number, McLennan declared, were working in one of the Malsen mines at the edge of the town of Walsenburg. All other mines Of the Colorado Fuel and Iron company in this district and in the Las Animas county, or Trinidad dis trict. are completely closed down, NcI.ennan said.
 Nur hundred and thirty one nf&rs are at work in seven of the company mines in the two districts, F. II. Weitzei, general manager of the company. announced tonight. He declared 134 men are at work in the three mines at the Walsen camp, 99 at Morley. 129 at Frederick, 45 at Sopris. and 24 at Tobasco, the four latter mines being in the Trinidad district Admission was made by the general manager that the com psny Is short of men to operate it's mines at the reduced wage scales gosalnng from 30 to 37 per cent.
 However. he said. the Colorado Fuel and Iron company has no in- tenfion of importing men to replace <Se& men who have refused to go to ~Hk- Such course, we fear, would lead to trouble"
 Only the mine mules idIing in their corrals were not puzzled by the sit uation- While most of the 1.5ot miners in the Walsenburg district were not working, they were not tdie- They were trying to figure out whether they were striking locked out or merely laid off for
 Claims of both sides as to whether the men at certain mines had voted 10 accept the wage cuts were recon ciled in this district at least. Unior and company officials agreed that al kebler Number 1. the three mines O the Walsen camp and at Ideal, thu men had voted to accept the lowel scale. Company officials admit tha at Pictou. Cameron and Lester thl vote was against the reduction.
 Statements by McLennan wer' that the vote had been obtained b. miSrepresentations. This the com pany officials denied.
 Every mine in the Trinidad distric. according to a statement by Weitze voted to accept the lower scale While lacking detailed informatio McLennan denied that any Of tn miners in the Trinidad camps ha taken this action.
 In the Trinidad field. where figure announced by the company yester day placed the number of men a work Friday at 552, figures toda showed a drop to 297 in the workin forces according to report an nounred by Weitzel. He attribute the loss to fear and intimidation These figures announced by Weitzt show that at the Morley mine yes terday were 105 men working. whil ss were working today: at Frederic yesterday 127. today i29; at Sopri. yesterday. 259. today 54; at Tobasct yesterday 70. today 24.
 The Tollerburg, Berwind. Primer and East Morley mines in the Trini dad district, are admittedly closed The Starkville and Engleburg mine there have been closed for severs months. In the Walsenburg dis trict, the Tioga and Rouse mine 
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