Jesse F. Welborn to Woodrow Wilson

Title

Jesse F. Welborn to Woodrow Wilson

Creator

Welborn, Jesse F.

Identifier

WWP18161

Date

1913 November 10

Source

Wilson Papers, Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Washington, District of Columbia

Subject

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence

Relation

WWP18045, WWP18112, WWP18147, WWP18159

Text

My dear Sir

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your esteemed favor of the 3oth ultimo respecting the strike situation in Colorado and the visit of Mr. Ethelbert Stewart here in connection with it, and to assure you that it gives me pleasure to furnish the information requested on this subject.

Mr. LM Bowers, chairman of our board, has already written you at length with reference to his interview with Mr. Stewart, and it will be my purpose to recite for your information some of the details connected with this important matter.

So far as I know, the disposition of all coal operators was to show Mr. Stewart the courtesy due him as a representative of the Government at Washington. That was the attitude of Mr. JC Osgood, Mr. DW Brown and the writer, who at Mr. Stewart’s request, made through Governor Ammons, met him at the Governor’s office on October 9th. We were, however, surprised and disappointed when informed by Mr. Stewart, at that meeting, that he did not care to listen to the operators’ view of conditions and the causes which led up to the strike. His expressed purpose at the meeting in question was to bring the operators and the officers of the United Mine Workers of America into a conference; and as it had been the policy of The Colorado Fuel and Iron Co. and the companies represented by Messrs. Osgood and Brown, to treat directly with their miners, without prejudice, in matters affecting the relations between miners and operators, and as less than 10% of our employes were members of the organization in question, we advised Mr. Stewart that we could not meet the officials with whom he sought to bring us into conference. We hoped that, if he would but obtain the facts relating to the coal mining industry in Colorado, he would approve the policy maintained by the Colorado operators. We regretted that the meeting with Mr. Stewart was so barren of results, but in fairness to our stockholders and employes, we could not take a course that had for its ultimate purpose the closing of our mines to all except members of the United Mine Workers of America.

When Mr. Hayes, vice president of the United Mine Workers of America, came to Colorado about August 1st, he found a condition satisfactory to both miners and operators in the coal mines of southern Colorado. In the northern Colorado fields a strike had been in progress for about three and one-half years, yet notwithstanding this, the mines there were producing practically a full tonnage, though under heavy guard to protect men and property from frequent attacks made by the strikers whose places had been filled.

Most of the mines in the southern Colorado fields work about 300 days per year, with an average daily earning for miners of approximately $4. Those who work full time earn an average of over $100 per month. The men are charged 50c per month for sharpening their tools and $1 per month for doctor’s services for themselves and families, which includes all medicine required and hospital treatment without additional expense when needed. These amounts and the cost of the powder purchased by the miners, representing a total of from 8c to 20c per day, or less than $4 per month on the average, are the only arbitrary deductions from the men’s earnings.

Although our company and many other companies maintain modern, well-conducted stores at the mining camps, where supplies can be had at prices generally lower than in competing towns away from coal mines, the men have enjoyed the privilege of trading where they pleased, and in addition they also have:

(a) Semi-monthly pay day; (covered by law)

(b) An eight-hour work day under ground,(covered by law)

(c) A check-weighman if and when desired (covered by law)

Soon after his arrival in Colorado, Hayes told Governor Ammons that his demands upon the operators would be the four conditions named above, and a contract with his union, the terms of which in accordance with the universal custom of that union would require mine operators to employ only men belonging to the United Mine Workers of America and in addition, force the operating companies to collect from the workmen over the pay roll for the benefit of that union, all dues, fines and assessments that it saw fit to levy against its members. He stated that the operators had anticipated them somewhat by granting an increase in wages in 1912, but that the miners could secure their rights under the law, covering three of the other conditions named, only where mining companies were required to work under contract with the United Mine Workers of America.

When the Governor told me what the demands were to be, I advised him that our men were already working under all of the conditions named except a contract with or recognition of the union named; that the Governor might be the judge of the truth of this statement and right any wrongs he found; that we would not make a contract with the United Mine Workers of America and by so doing force the 90% or more of our employes who were not members of that organization to join and pay to it through us the dues, fines and assessments that the officers saw fit to levy; that we had not discriminated against men who belonged to a union, and we would not discriminate against men who preferred to remain out of the United Mine Workers of America. Furthermore, that organization is known to so disregard its contracts that it unhesitatingly breaks those made in one district when by so doing it can serve the interests of its officers or organizers there or elsewhere. Officers of the organization are at this time threatening to violate their contracts with operators in districts competing with Colorado if the shipment of coal from these districts into Colorado markets is not discontinued.

Our workmen were well acquainted with the fact that their earnings averaged 20% higher than were being paid in the Kansas and nearby coal fields whose product is the principal competitor of Colorado coals, and they were therefore well satisfied, and strongly desired that such conditions should be allowed to continue. The evidence of satisfaction on the part of our men had come to us frequently during the past few years through independent sources and from our mine superintendents, and had been strongly expressed at the time of our last voluntary wage advance in April, 1912, as well as at our later establishment of a semi-monthly pay day and an eight-hour work day in advance of the State statutory requirement.

Immediately after Hayes and his associates began agitating the question of a strike, expressions of opposition to it or to being forced into the union, began to reach our office from the men, and continued to come to us daily up to the time the strike took effect. This opposition was most marked in the small sub-district known as the Canon field, where union tendencies were stronger than in any other field. They expressed the feeling (and in this they were right) that a contract between operators and the union which would force all mine employes to join that organization, meant an increase in their expenses and a corresponding if not greater reduction in net earnings.Hayes was told by Governor Ammons and ex-Senator Patterson—both of whom have strong union sympathies—that conditions in Colorado coal mines were satisfactory to the workmen, and was urged by them not to call a strike. This advice, though coming from men who could be considered friends of the union officers, was not heeded, and they called what they chose to designate a convention of miners and operators to be held at Trinidad, September 15, 1913, for the expressed purpose of determining by vote of delegates whether or not a strike should be called. The so-called convention was composed of from 200 to 250 alleged delegates, more than half of whom had been out on strike in northern Colorado for three and a half years and were in no way connected with coal mining operations. With few exceptions, the remainder of the delegates were in the direct employ of the organization. Some of these delegates sought and secured a few days’ work at various mines immediately preceding the date of the convention, then after leaving the employ of the mines where they had worked temporarily, attended the convention as delegates from those mines without any pretext of having been elected delegates by the miners. No delegates whatever were chosen by the men whose interest Hayes and his associates professed to be serving; and in one case a delegate impersonated a miner who worked for The Colorado Fuel and Iron Co. every day that the convention was in session.The result desired by the agitators was the unanimous vote for a strike effective September 23d. When the convention adjourned it was found that the demands included an advance of 10% in wages. It was evident that the demand for such increase was an afterthought, as it had not been suggested by Hayes and his associates in their early discussions with the Governor, but on the contrary they made the statement in at least one interview with the Governor, that they were satisfied with the wages the men were receiving. There could be no purpose for this demand for an increase other than to give the agitators an argument that they were working for benefits to the men which they did not already have.

After the vote of the convention was made known, and prior to the date the strike took effect, our miners again indicated strong feelings of resentment and opposition to the action taken by the delegates, for the reason that they did not represent the men affected, who had no voice in the action. cs with the determination to kill those who remained at work. They have succeeded in their purpose to the extent of killing ten mine employes, while in the repulse of these attacks but one of their own number, so far as is known, has been killed. In no instance have 3ef of the operators as well as of a majority of the citizens in the coal mining district who are not connected with mine operations, that had the state militia taken charge of the situation at the first outbreak of violence, most of the men would have immediately returned to work and that by this time the mines would have been operating at practically normal tonnage.

Many of the strikers have but recently returned from the Balkan War, and these as well as many others have been so inflamed by the speeches of the strike leaders and their raids on the mine properties, that they are imbued with the spirit of lawlessness and will not so readily return to work. However, more than 50% of our old employes are still at work, and as labor is plentiful over the western part of the United States, coal miners in other districts are anxious to come to Colorado where wages are so attractive when they feel that they can safely do so.The operators therefore feel that they are justified in the opinion that with the maintenance of law and order the production of coal will steadily increase and in a comparatively short time will be sufficient to take care of all demands on our fields.Charges have been made through the press by the mine organization officers, that the operators refuse to comply with the laws regulating coal mine operations. In one of their recent advertisements they state that, “all the miners ask is a living wage and the enforcement of the state laws.” At a conference had by certain of the operators with the Governor about two weeks ago, the charge of non-compliance with the laws was under discussion, and we then repeated assurances previously given him, to the effect that we not only would comply with the laws as heretofore, but we urged the Governor to see that these laws were strictly enforced against ourselves and other coal operators. A letter to the Governor confirming this declaration, which fully satisfied him, was mailed on November 5th, and a copy of same is enclosed. It and copies of our pay rolls (also enclosed) serve to answer the statement of the mine organization officers last quoted above.

In order to get the facts before the public, the operators have put out a number of advertisements, some of which are enclosed.The attitude of the operators in this matter is one not of opposition to unionism, but of opposition to the United Mine Workers of America as it is conducted.

Our policy of open shop has been a consistent one, and independent of any views we might have had with respect to the UMW of A, we could not have pursued a different course without unfairly treating most of our men, who have entered our employ with full knowledge of this policy.

Thanking you for the opportunity to present the facts in this matter, and with the hope that the information here furnished will meet your requirements, I beg to remain,

Respectfully yours,
JF Welborn

Enclosures:(over)

Enclosures:

(a) Original letter of E. H. Weitzel, Sept. 26, 1913, regarding influences used to force Austrian miners to leave their work.

(b) Published statement made by the operators of interview had with Mr. Stewart.

(c) Affidavit of the two Slavish women who were attacked at the strikers’ colony.

(d) Published statement of Rev. F. G. Fox, regarding the conduct of the strikers in theattack made on Forbes mine.

(e) Published statement of earnings of miners in August at Rouse mine.

(f) Published statement of earnings of miners in October at Primero, Soprisand Gray Creek mines.

(g) Published statement of the U. M. W. of A.

(h) Copy of Operators’ letter of November 5th to Governor Ammons.

(i) Copy of resolutions of the committee from the Chamber of Commerce appointed to investigatestrike matters.

(j) Copy of resolutions adopted at a joint meeting of the members of the Denver Chamber of Commerce and the Denver Real Estate Exchange, after receiving and adopting the reportof the special committees.

Original Format

Letter

To

Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Temp00634A.pdf

Citation

Welborn, Jesse F., “Jesse F. Welborn to Woodrow Wilson,” 1913 November 10, WWP18161, First Year Wilson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.