New-York tribune., 1922-10-26
Rockefeller .Jr.
Urges Cause Of
Coal Strikers
Telegram to Council of
Churches Says p olicy
of Central Pennsylvania
Operators Is u MUS t
May Portend a p e ace
Message Is in Reply to
Appeal for Him 10 Give
S tan d as Stakeholder

John D. Rockefeller jr. lined himself
up publicly yesterday at the side OF
the striking coal miners of Somerset
County, Pa, whose employers have re-
fused to meet with union representa-
tives to effect settlemen such as has
been made in other parts of the coun-
try. In reply to an appeal from the
Federal Council Of Churches asking
| him, as a stockholder in the Consolida-
tion Coal Company, to state his posi-
tion, he telegraphed from Battle Creek
Mich, that in his opinion the present
labor policy of the operators in central
Pennsylvania is "both unwise and un-
just"
II believe that the underlying grev-
ances of the miners in Somerset County
are we'll founded" Mr.. Rockefeller
said, "and I have urged, both directly
and through competent representatives,
with all the sincerity and vigor at my
command, that the present policy OF
the operators be radically altered.
ut is my understanding that they
have hitherto denied their employees
all voice and share in determining their
working conditions and any adequate
machinery for the uncovering and ad-
! justment of grievances. The day has
passed when such position can Justly
| be maintained by any. employer or
group of employers in q country like
ours.
~ have long advocated, and never
more earnestly than now, a labor pol
| icy which comedies to the employees in
every industrial unit what / believe to
be a fundamental right-the right to
representation in the determining of
| those matters which affect their own
interests.
Gas a member of Presden Wilson's
first Industrial Conference l used these
words:
Representation is principle which
is Fundamentally just and vital to the
successful conduct of industry. This
is the principle upon which the demo-
cratic government OF our country is
founded. On the battlefields of France
| this nation poured out it's blood freely
in order that democracy might be
! maintained and that its benefcent in
stitutions might become available in
other lands as we'll. Surely it ia not
consistent for us as Americans to de-
mand democracy in government and
practice autocracy in Industry
'This is conviction l have long
held. 1t is a principle which in the
capacity of an individual stockholder
have vigorously urged as the most
promising measures for putting an end
to industrial misunderstanding and
conflict"
Despite the fact that Mr.. Rockefel-
Ter pointed out that he is only mi
nority stockholder with feeling of
moral responsibility in the Consolida-
tion Company and is in no wise con-
nected with the BerwindWh con-.
Germ, which is the other important
operator in Somerset County, the opin-
ion prevailed at the office of the Fed
eral Council of Churches yesterday
chat Mr.. Rockefeller's message, por-
tends an Immediate settlement of the
strike in Central Pennsylvania
The Berwind- White miners who have
been in New York for ten days picket
ing the home of f. j. Berwind, East
Sixty-fourth Street, and the Berwind
White Offices, IL Broadway, were sent
back to their homes yesterday. APP
parently. James Mark, the New York
representative of the miners, has de-
termined to devote his attention
Co the work Of the Board of Estimate
committee appointed to investigate the
Berwind- White mines, from which the
Interborough buys its coal. He Of
fered all the union facilities for OBJ
tanning information yesterday to David
Hirshfeld chairman of the committee.