coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

58 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
Colorado Strike Situation is Quite «nd But Little
Progress is Made Toward Settlement.
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26)
and others, the output of which is not required
for this season's business, will not be opened until
the beginning of another season.
"The trade in steel and iron is lighter than it
has been in a number of years. Be cause of this
and the additional reason that there are still large
stocks of coal in the hands of dealers, placed there
immediately prior to the strike, the demand for
Colorado coal for the
REMAINDER OE THE WINTER
will be at deast 20 per cent. lighter than usual.
The number of men necessary to produce the required
output can easily be secured dining the
month of December.
"J. C. OSGOOD,
"D. W. BROWN,
"J. F. WELBORX."
Dec. 4 the result of the referendum vote of the
miners on the settlement proposition of Gov. Ammons
was tabulated and it was found to be overwhelmingly
adverse to accenting the proposition.
This fact was communicated to Secretary of Labor
Wilson, who, in turn, notified Gov. Amnions of
the result.
That there is no obstacle to the Department of
Justice prosecuting the indictments against the
officials of the Tnited Mine Workers of Pueblo.
Colo., was made plain at the executive offices,
Washington, D. C, Dec. S. President Wilson
told callers that there was nothing in the law that
"interfered with the usual processes of justice."
The President made it plain that prosecution can
be undertaken by the United States district attorney
for the Colorado district.
Eugene McGraw, international organizer of the
United Mine Workers of America, who succeeded
Adolph Germer as director of the strike after the
arrest of the latter, was arrested by the military
authorities on Dec. 9 in connection with the investigation
into the killing of three mine guards
and a chauffeur near La Veta Nov. 8.
Warrants for the arrest of the United Mine
Workers of America officers and members indicted
by the federal grand jury at Pueblo last
week were placed in the hands of United States
Marshal Dew-ey C. Bailey at Denver on the same
day. District Attorney Harry E. Kelley said that
the warrants would be served at once. He said
that the cases would be prosecuted in the United
States District court notwithstanding reports that
Department of Justice officials were to determine
whether the cases should go to trial.
Secretary Wilson of the Department of Labor
had an hour's conference with President Wilson
on the night of Dec. 9. concerning the Colorado
coal strike situation. He laid before the Presi­
dent all the
DETAILS OF THE SITUATION
he had obtained, but said after he left the White
House that he was not prepared to make an announcement
of the future course of the government.
The chronological story of tlie happenings in
the Colorado strike field in the Dec. 1 issue of THE
COAL TRADE BULLETIN closed with a brief statement
that the miners had rejected the proposed
bases of settlement made by Gov. Amnions and by
Gov. Ammons and Secretary of Labor Wilson, and
that the operators had accepted these proposals.
The text of these proposals is:
"Denver, Colo., Nov. 27.
"Messrs. J. F. Welborn, John C. Osgood, D. W.
Brown, operators; and Messrs. T. X. Evans,
Archie Allison, David Hammon, miners, Denver,
Colo.
"Gentlemen:—Having listened to your conference
throughout yesterday and believing from representations
made that there is no material difference
between you sufficient to warrant a continuance
of the present difficulties, I desire to make a
suggestion for the termination of the piesent industrial
dispute.
"The one apparently insurmountable obstacle to
a settlement was the recognition of the union, and
almost every other material difference between you
hinged about that question, or is covered by existing
law.
"There is no law compelling the operators to
recognize the union nor to permit tbe employes
to exact that recognition. The statute does provide,
however, for the right to join a union if the
miners so wish without coercion or interference.
This law has been read to all the conferees and its
provisions agreed to by each conferee. It reads
as follows, and I suggest to you that its provisions
be made the basis of a conclusion on this point:
" Tt shall be unlawful for any individual, company
or corporation or any member of any firm,
or agent, officer or employe of any company or
corporation, to prevent employes from forming.
joining or belonging to any lawful organization.
union, society or political party, or to coerce or
attempt to coerce employes by discharging or
threatening to discharge them from their employ
or the employ of any firm, company or corporation,
because of their connection with such lawful
labor organization, union, society or political
party.'—Section 3925, Reviser! Statutes of Colorado
1903.
"Bearing in mind the discussion on the other
points involved, I suggest the following as a satisfactory
solution:
"The employment of a cheekweighman as pro-