Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 49, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 23, 1914 Page: 1 of 8
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OFFICIAL ORGAN
Oklahoma State
Federation of Labor
OKLAHOMA LABOR UNIT
OFFICIAL ORGAN
Oklahoma City Trades
and Labor Council
FARMERS* UNION OF OKLAHOMA
No. 49
INTERESTS OF ORGANIZED LABOR AND
DEVOTED
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, SATURDAY, MAY 3.*, 1914.
VOL. 6.
gdlohhdo legislator
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLIC/
VOTE IN HARMONY WITH 1
AMMONS PROGRAM— DISAR
MENT COMPLETE IN WAR ZO
AND TENT COLONIES REBUI
Appropriating $1,000,000 to pay
penses of the coal Btrlke Incurred
Governor Amnions and General Clia
including enlisted gunmen, mi
guards, Baldwin-Felts detectives and
those who participated in the Ludlow
massacre, is the sum total accomplish-
ed by the extraordinary session of the
General Assembly up to the present
time, according to Labor Bulletin
of Denver, Colo. It is believed
the session will adjourn without
having enacted a single piece of
constructive legislation to relieve
the situation or in carrying out
the injunction of President Wilson
■svhen he sent the federal troops to re-
store peace. No doubt the president
-will have something important to say
after the legislature has adjourned
and failed to measure up to the needs
of the hour. The corporation ma-
chine, composed of Democrats and
Republicans, has worked together in
complete harmony, while representa-
tives of the mine owners in the house
and senate lobbies give directions.
The one redeeming act of the week
•was when the senate killed the state
constabulary Cossack bill, which the
corporations finally admitted was too
rank even for Colorado.
Professed Friends of Labor Desert.
In both the house and senate a
number who had previously express-
ed great friendship for organized la-
bor, some of them carrying union
cards, deserted the people when the
crucial test came and voted with the
Amnions corporation tribe.
An amendment tacked on this bill
In the house, providing that enlisted
mine guards and those who partici-
pated in the Ludlow affair be de-
barred from receiving any part from
the Btate. was stricken out in the sen-
ate, so that the bill virtually gave leg-
islative approval to the entire bloody
policy of Ammons and Chase. Inas-
. much as the legislature is overwhelm
ingly Democratic in both .branches
the party thus assumes the burden
and must answer to the people for
these crimes at next fall's election.
A bill giving the governor power to
close saloons in case of strikes, with-
out invoking martial law, was passed.
Under this bill, if two waiters in a
Denver restaurant go on strike, the
governor can close every saloon in
the city. Or if a C. & S. train crew
refuses to haul a bunch of strike-
breakers, every saloon along the sys-
tem can be closed. It beats state-
wide prohibition to a frazzle.
It will be noted that the two women
members of the house, Mrs. Lee and
Mrs. Riddle, were on the side of the
corporations, while the one woman in
the senate, Mrs. Helen Ring Robin-
son, stood steadfast with the people
and cast her vote against the bill. She
further said: "Colorado will become a
hissing byword unless this legislature
passes laws to conserve human life.
Strike-Breakers Deported by Soldiers,
While the legislature has done notti-
ing to help the situation, Uncle Sam's
soldiers, acting directly under orders
of President Wilson, have been busy
(Continued to Page 8)
a position prior to Sunday morning.
We have been unable to discover that
a single gun was fired prior to the ex-
plosion of three bombs, which Maj.
Hamrock admitted to be his own sig-
lal for the battle to begin. Many wo-
nen and children were still in bed.
"We also found that Maj. Hamrock
ested the range of his machine guns
y firing into the first line of tents
nd that later in the engagement, sol-
lers soaked papers in oil and used
,ese as torches to spread the contla-
ation. Wholesale looting followed
e massacre and one of the pictures
lnted for us by homeless women
is that of soldiers carrying trunks
the station, dancing with stolen
oiankets about their heads to the mu
sic of a stolen accordion and grabbing
here and there in the tents for valua-
bles.
"No doubt remains in our minds
that Tikas and Fyler, the two leaders
of the tent colony, were murdered
while in the custody of soldiers, and
that the Greek (Tikas) was deliber-
ately clubbed by Lieut. Linderfelt
while standing helpless and unarmed
"The elder Snyder declared to us
his son Frankie had been shot down
by soldiers while cradling his little
sister in his arms."
ire not FAVORABLE
to GENERAL strike
UNITED MINE WORKERS EXECU
TIVE BOARD DECIDES NO
GOOD CAN BE ACCOM-
PLISHED BY IT.
It would be unwise to call a general
strike at this time was the decision of
the executive board of the United
Mine Workers, at Indianapolis, Ind
which discussed the Colorado situa-
tion and finally agreed that: "We be
ileve that we can better aid our gal
lant brothers in Colorado by remain
ing at work, thus insuring in a finan
cial way our fullest support to the
men, women, and children, who have
been long engaged in the great Strug
gle in Colorado. We must be in a po
sition to finance properly the strike
in the State indefinitely, until the sue
cess of the miners' cause is assured
and a general strike at this time
might jeopardize our position in this
respect without adding anything ma-
terial to the success of the Colorado
strike."
An appeal for aid was issued, and
was signed by the officers, who say,
in part:
"Will you aid them (the Colorado
strikers and families) in their strug-
gle against John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,
and the interests which he repre-
sents? The request of the President 1
of the United States through his per-
sonal representative that Mr. Rocke-
feller use his influence in behalf of I
peace was refused. When he denied |
the President's Request, he assumed
to be bigger than the Government it
CONVENTION CALL
Oklahoma State Federation of Labor
Headquarters: 221 State Bank Building, Oklahoma City,
H Okla.
To All Affiliated Unions, Greeting:
You are hereby notified that, in pursuance to the Const
tution of the Oklahoma State Federation of Labor, the Elev-
enth Annual Convention of the Oklahoma State Federation of
1 abor will convene in the Morgan Theatre Henryeta, Okla-
homa, at 10:00 a. m., August 17th, 1914, and will continue in
session until the business of the convention has been trans-
acted. ,
Representation.
In accordance with the law, representation to this con-
vention shall be composed of delegates from central bodies
and local unions apportioned as follows: Each centra b dy
shall be entitled to one delegate, and each local union s a
be entitled to one delegate for each fifty members or ma-
jority fraction thereof, upon which percapita tax has bee
paid to the Federation up to the first of the month in which
the convention is held, provided locals having the required
number of members to hold a charter in their international
shall be entitled to one delegate.
Credentials
Credentials in duplicate will be forwarded to all unions
about June 1, the original credentials to be given to the
delegates elect and the duplicate to be forwarded to the
Secretary-Treasurer. . _ T
Proposed Changes in Constiution and By-Laws
In accordance with Section 17 of the_By-Laws, .
should take lesse5
more into confidence
NOT PURPOSE TO CRITICIZE AP-
PRAISERS BUT BELIEVE AP-
PRAISEMENT TOO HIGH, AND
THAT SOME MEANS OF ADJUST-
MENT SHOULD BE ADOPTED.
Compensation Act Patted,
With the paBBing of a workmen's
compensation bill by the Ontario leg-
islature, Canadian trade unionists
have won their long struggle for this
remedial legislation, which was only
made possible through the most per-
sistent activity of the organized work-
ers. who furnished the finances where-
with to carry on agitation, to hold
public meetings, to issue literature
and papers and give the question the
publicity that made success finally
certain. The act is to become effec-
tive not later than the first of next R Wilson and Joe C. McClelland
year. Domestic servants amhave reCently mado a trip over four
are not Included in the legislation. I ( y for the pUrpose of Inspecting
o .e of death, compensation is paid ^ a ,sement of 8chool lan(1 re-
to the dependents in the form of a cenUy mad„ for Bale purposes. This
pension for life, except in the case of ^ (g qulte lnterestlng in view of
the children left. Their compensate ^ dUcussion Ulat ha8 i,een going on
stops when they reach the age of six- ^ ^ prega between officials of the
any
proposed change in the laws governing the ^^ ^. con
emulated by any union or delegate thereof, should be in
hT hands of the Secretary-Treasurer ten days prior to the
convention, in order that they may be submitted to and
receive proper consideration by the Laws Committee wluc
meets two days prior to the Convention.
It is unnecessary here to attempt to
•firbuMtmry ^ot be S^d you that many
matters affecting the future welfare of the 'aboriwwement
, ti, , , ,„;ii r,f necessity be considered by this con-
of Oklahoma w.l . of nec^y. «„ upon these matters
vzssa's. ~
and "I"'*"'
y°u- EDGAR FENTON, President.
OT T IF S WILSON, Secretary-Treasurer.
' l Hotel Rates ^ ,
Georgian, (headquarters), European, $1.00, double rooms
SPeCSmpbell, American, $2.00. double rooms special rates.
Rock, American, $2.00.
Frances, European, $.50 and $.7?.
arrangements for the convenience of the delegates l
the
officers of
desired, it may be received by addressing the
the Federation or W. W. Finch, chairman, or J. 11. C raig,
secretary of the local committee, Henryetta, Oklahoma.
teen. Compensation for disability is
based upon the earning capacity of
the worker. In case of total disabili-
ty, compensation for life with a limit
of $1,100 a year is allowed.
To Organize Clerks.
Nashville, Tenn., May 22.—The lo-
cal Trades and Labor Council, has ap-
pointed a committee to assist in the
formation of a Retail Clerks union.
miners in convention
to
NTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT J.
WHITE IS PRESENT AND
MAKES ADDRESS.
Fort Smith, Ark., May 19.—Dele-
gates frotoi the three states of Okla-
homa, Arkansas and Texas, compris-
ing district 21 of the United Mine
Workers, are in session here today,
investigating the charges of officials
of the coal operators' association that
mine worker officials accepted bribes
in connection with the signing of
present labor contracts.
The real work of the convention did
not get under way until today al-
though delegates assembled Monday,
owing to the fact that adjournment
was taken* to witnesB the mine rescue
contest held Monday afternoon.
President Pete Stewart and Secre-
tary Fred Holt, both of McAlester,
are attending. President John P.
White of the national organization
and President Howatt of KansaB are
also here.
Ft. Smith, Ark.—May 20.The entire
day Tuesday at the convention of
district 21, United Mine Workers of
America, was devoted to considera-
tion of resolutions, the address of
National President White and the
reading of portions of the testimony
of the Kansas City convention upon
the charge of use of bribery fund in
By
AN APPEAL
Indianapolis, Ind., May 12, '914.
nstrucion of the International Executive Board, United
Workers of America, we appeal-to you for financial help for
School Land Department and the
State Lessees Union. No action has
yet been taken by the commissioners
to approve or reject the report, it be-
ing alleged by those In a position to
know that since the report was made
it has been Impossible to secure a full
attendance of the membership of the
Board at any board meeting.
The report of Messrs. Wilson and
McClelland is as follows:
"To the Commissioners of the
School Land Department,
"Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
"Gentlemen:
"According to understanding and
agreement, we left Oklahoma (ity
Monday, April 20th, for the purpose
of Inspecting some of the school land
in counties of Caddo, Custer, Washi-
ta and Canadian where protests had
been filed against the appraisement.
We spent Tuesday the 21st in the
northern part of Caddo County exam-
ining some thirty or forty farms. We
stayed at Weatherford Tuesday night
and on Wednesday the 22nd we visit-
ed some thirty or forty farms in Cus-
ter, meeting a large number ot les-
sees at Clinton in the afternoon. From
Clinton we went to Washita county
and on account of rain did not drive
into the country but met more than a
hundred lessees at Cordell.
"In making our Inspection of the
land and in our discussions with the
lessees, we are convinced that our
attention was only called to the most
radical cases. In a few cases we feel
that protests have been made where
none should be made. In some in-
stances we found that the appraise-
ments on improvements had been
made entirely too low. In other in-
stances we found that the appraise-
ments had been very fair; but in re-
gard to the land we are of the opinion
that a very large percent of the land
which we saw was appraised entirely
too high. It is our belief that in at
least !I0 per cent of the cases the
land was appraised for more than it
will sell for. This applies, in our
judgment, to the poorer grade ot
farms. It is not our purpose to criti-
cise the appraisers, but we do believe
that the time o fyear at which tills
appraisement was made was an un-
self. Shall such a condition be toler-1 Mine
ated by a free people? Are Mr. Rock-
efeller and the interests which he rep-
resents larger and more powerful
States'?10 —; °f the Ludlo^,aColoTado,Bon April *20tii, ought to appeal
th7aendneyoduryB0uprporet.P'We'appeal to ! human sympathy in a most extraordinary manner D.
you to respond promptly and liberally I Will you aid them fmancially m their strugg lejj^ llc rCpre-
and thus place yourself fairly and Rockefeller, Jr., his predatory . United States, through
squarely on the side of all the people' - — '>■<* President of the Unne.i aw
as against John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,
whose name is inseparably associated
with Standard Oil."
In dealing with the hazardousness tolerateu uv a — i r -- -
of the work of the miners, the report condition be *°Snts larger and more powerful than the govern
on the Colorado situation declares interests he represents large
that "Government statistics show that ment of the Uiiitcd Mates . t, d our supffbrj. We ap-
covering a period of ten years pas I We necd your help, your sympa y y j , , e our.
more men were killed per thousand pea, tQ you to respond promptly a yl liberally ana * ^
employed in the coal mines of Colora- sd{ {air] alfd squarely on the side of all I 1[ Stan-
do than in any other mining section Rockefeller, Jr., whose name is inseparably associat
throughout the entire world."
The Colorado report also
the making of a contract between the
operators' association and the U. M. favorable time to appraise tins p
W of A. Much the larger portion of grade of sandy land and aTlyone is
the consideration of this testimony likely to over-estimate such land dur-
remains for presentation in the ses-|jng the wet winter months. ®°'°e
sions today. At the Tuesday morn-1 instances, and possibly all, It trie ap
ing sessions it was determined to hold | ,,raisers had have taken the lesse .
all sessions open to the public and
declaos not dne-dalf
strike tooth is told
believe malitias attacks on
miners was deliberately
planned and executed.
Bitter denunciation of the militia
«es were'not'half Udd'featured6 a °re-| ment^between the representatives of
port by a committee appointed by
Colorado Woman's Peace organization
this rule will continue today.
The matter of most keen public
interest Tuesday was the forceful ad-
dress delivered by National President
White. Presideut White, who had
come on from Indianapolis to attend
the convention, opened his address bv
expressing his deep regret over the
situation which threatens In this coal
field, and expressed the most earnest
hope that some solution of the situa-
tion may be found which Shall bring
exact justice to all parties concerned, j
the miners, the operators and the
public whose peace is threatened.
STILL IN SESSION,
attacks
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., declaring that
one word favoring a settle-
to investigate the killing of two
men, eleven children, and eight men.
nnointed by the I the coal companies and the represen-
p tatives of the striking employes,
could have avoided the loss of life and
damage to property in that State.
The report was submitted to Governo
Ammons, and demands that the state
executive order an investigation _
happenings connected with the m
in the strike district and the outrages
committed by the imported He*sl*n '
that the extra session of the legls
ture make no provision to pay the .. -
debtednesa incurred by the nn • •
unless the military rolls are purged
of Rockefeller gunmen and thugs,
that the governor withdraw Ins r<
quest for a State constabularj . *
he exerciBe his police power to ta e
over the mines for operation by ' n
State, and that a constitutional amend-
ment be submitted permitting the
State to develop Its own natural re-
sources. .
"There is no question in our nnnds
that the militia's attack on the tent
colony was planned with care and ex-
ecuted in cold blood," said thte report.
"Three machine guns were planted in
dard Oil. . _,r
Send all donations to \\ m
napolis, Ind.
Greene,
1106 State Life Bldg., India
JOHN P. WHITE, President.
FRANK J. HAYES, Vice President.
WILLIAM GREEN, SecTreas.
'Running His Own Business."
For th7°fib" time Tn Uifhistory of Howard A. Fitch presidentof the
Arkansas, officials connected with the Kansas City Structural S^com
causes 'that'letf'to aTtrike' " Commhf-Hub,' evidently does not agree with
an°ninqu°rfy "tatte mffCTenceT bttween - run their own bus^
We want to hear from them before
non-' we make any plans.
more into their confidence and have
given them more consideration they
not only would have been able to
make a better appraisement but could
have reached an agreement under
which the lessees would have signed
up without loss to the state.
"Since we had no nuthority to ad-
(Continued to Page 8)
.'loaded with tale
of mine out-rages
not worrying. We can lay down on
all kinds of work if we care to and
it won't hurt us. But if the business
men of Kansas City oppose complete
control bv the unions we will go into
battle and stand in the front ranks all
down the line."
Car Men Raise Wages.
Non-Unionists Join Strike.
Erie, Pa., May 22.—Over 80
union
union
tion
Mr. Fitch ex-
rarripnters joined the strike of1 presses alarm over the present 1^bc"'
hotter enndi- forward" movement in thiscit>,w
trade union
The 1 movement. He says "the unions have
Kansas City" and
carpenters
for better condi- forward" mov
The demands include an eight-: is being urged by the
ppnts an hour. The
l°,ur ' Allied for nine hours at \2'/21 swooped down on , .
old rate ca ^ contractors are advocates war and curtailment or out-
cents an hour MiLeements. and the ; put. the very things charged against
strikers anticipate no extended diffi-1 ^or.Jn^theJoUow'ng words: So far
culty.
our company is concerned, we are
Akron, May 22—The Street Car
men's Union has ratified the propo-
sition of the N. O. T. & L. company
for one year. An arbitration clause is
included, to apply when representa-
tives of the union and the company
annot adjust differences. The rate
of wages for motormen and conduc-
tors is a straight increase of two
cents per hour. The men receive 25
cents for first year, 26 cents second
year, 27 cents third year. 28 cents
fourth year, and 29 cents for five-year
men.
Fort Smith, May 21.—Special—The
entire day Wednesday was devoted
by the convention of district 21, Ignit-
ed Mine Workers in this city, to the
presentation of the testimony of wit-
nesses as given in the operator-miner
Investigation at Kansas City. Through-
out the entire day, nearly 100 ear-
nest men—men whose hands bowed
habitual toll In gaining a livelihood—
patiently and closely followed the
reading of testimony of witness after
witness. So great is the volume of
the evidence being presented that it
is not likely that the work of the con-
vention will be completed before Sat-
urday. The reading of the Kansas
City testimony alone will take until
Friday, noon.
It will be of Interest to many in
this field that in the testimony of
nearly every one of the fifty or more
witnesses whose evidence was read
Wednesday, the central thought was
on both direct and cross examination
to bring out the knowledge of the wit-
nesses upon the question oi whether
or not money had been used in either
the 1910 or 1912 conferences by any-
bodv to procure for the operators a
favorable contract with the United
Mine Workers. And in this evidence
(Continued to Page 8)
JUDGE LINDSEY AND WOMEN RE-
FORMERS ON THE WAY TO
SEE THE PRESIDENT.
Chicago. May 19.—Judge Ben B.
Llndsey of Denver and five women
from Colorado passed through Chi-
cago today on their way to W ashlng-
ton to beg President Wilson not to
withdraw the federal troops from
the strike zone.
Judge Llndsey declared civil war
would result if the regulars were re-
placed by militiamen.
"The truf* story of what occurred
at Ludlow is too horrible to print,"
said Judge Llndsey.
"A father who went to the militar\
camp for his little boy was saluted
with the headless corpse of the child.
V soldier threw it at him, saying:
•Here, take the thing.' Mothers
who went to rescue their babies were
shot down and mutilated. Children
only a few years old were killed.
Their heads were blown off. Theia
are other crimes too horrible to men-
tion, but we have affidavits with us
to hack up all statements."
In the Lindsay party are Mrs. Lee
Champion, of tho Colorado women's
r,.lief committee and three women
w ho passed through the battle at Lud-
low. ■-*-
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Zeigler, C. C. Oklahoma Labor Unit (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 49, Ed. 1 Saturday, May 23, 1914, newspaper, May 23, 1914; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc157201/m1/1/: accessed April 18, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.