The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-10-14
CT & |. CRUSHES
COL ORADO miner
WITH 'DEMOCRACY
Company Union Starts
in Rockefeller Mines
BY HARRY KLETzkY.

II.
TWELVE years have passed since
Il the battle of Ludlow" when 10
miners, wives and children were mer-
cilessly slain by Colorado militiarnen
under orders from the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company-controlled state
house.
A granite monument has been
erected on the site of the massacre
by the United Mine Workers Union
1t seems to the observer that the
hopes Of the union ever again organ
izing the c. F. & l. miners are also
buried beneath the stone.
Monument Unnoticed.
Today miners walk to work in the
company union mines where they can
plainly see this landmark of a great
struggle for freedom, and few receive
a lighting thrill from the edifice.
One miner, whose wife and brother
are named on the stone, passes 1t each
day. And he is Indifferent to talks by
union officials when he is approached.
IL nay UC bOO udA Oh W soy ChcAL JhAC
mans spirit typifes the spirit of the
miner of Colorado today. But one is
almost forced to that conclusion,
Robbed of Initiative.
But is it the miners fault alone? In
twelve years the c. F. & l. has sue
cessfully instilled the fear of their
job" in the hearts of the workers.
They had been tricked into forsaking
their union, and into accepting a
plan, engineered by Mackenzie King
former prime minister of Canada,
which robbed them of their initiative
under the well-developed guise of al
lowing them that same initiative.
The company union" which is to-
day considered the most importspk
problem before the trade union move
ment. received its birth at this time
In Colorado. There is no doubt but
that if the Rockefeller plan for in
dustrial democracy" had been killed
in Colorado the company union prob
lem would not assume its present i'm
portance.
Trade union officials need not theo-
rize on the evils and disadvantages of
the company union plan, as has been
their custom OF late. A study of what
the plan has done to the Colorado
coal miners will reveal its evils in
bold relief.
Smooth Phrases.
The initiative of the Colorado miner
has been lulled to sleep by8 smooth
phrases and high-sounding bylaws"
His self-respect is gone. He is in
complete control of his boss. If the
plan was operated, perhaps, as Rookie
Teller promised it would be operated
he might be less so.
But it was not enough to force the
Colorado miner to accept a plan"
which he did not want. The plan it.
self was prostituted to gain still more
control over the workers.
Voting Corrupted.
The miners were supposed to have
the power to choose their representa-
tives by vote. But it was not long
before they discovered that to. vote
for representatives who were ''black-
listed" by the company meant their
job" Hundreds had been fired for
trying to exercise their franchise" as
they desired.
Time Is Ripe.
The time has, perhaps, never been
ripper than it is now to again bring the
banner Of trade unionism into the
ranks Of the coal miners Of Colorado.
A new spirit, and the old spirit, can
be awakened in the Colorado miners.
In 1925, when the c. +. C l., under
the plea Of business depression, sue
ceeded in fostering a wage decrease
on the, workers (thru the "plan") rum
blings we're heard turnout the state.
Small groups OF miners employed by
the C. f. & /. even came out in open
rebellion, but were forced into line by
the threat OF close-down OF the
mines.
These rumblings need to be
"nursed" and fed to make them grow
into a roar big enough to crash down
the company union. It means much
work and real effort to do this. But
it is worth 1t to the entire labor move
ment