Show JOHN Oil 0 JR DEClARES HES HE'S FAVORABlE TO lABOR UNIONS Denies A Attempt tempt to Exercise Absolutism in Colorado Coal Region NEW TORk Jan au ln 2 In a a. statement today to the United States Statu commission on Industrial relations on the Colorado labor situation John D D. Rockefeller Jr denied that he had bad as aft h he said had been charged I attempted l to exercise e a a. kind of over o the coal Industry In Colorado Colo Cob rado x or that he had sought ht to dictate R a policy of ot of unions On the contrary ho he said paid ho was most heart heart- ily Uy In favor of ot labor unions so long Jong as their purpose was WiS to the well being be beIng being be- be ing of the tho employees and an they had due regard for Cor or the Interests of ot the public The Thc responsibilities of or stockholders en U is practically limited to the election of director di dl- rectors rector Mr Ir Rockefeller said They have no power to elect officers officer to employ labor to make mako contracts or to Intervene directly In the management of ot the busi bust ness nets A large stockholder Is Ie able to exer ox- ox er ISA con considerable sid era b moral Influence over oyer the directors and officers and Is II responsible sible sibbo for exorcising exercising that Influence proper prop prop- er Officers and Directors Control The directors are arl responsible for tor or th the direct conduct of ot business They have hai the power to elect officers and to determine deter eter- eter mine the policies of the business Labor conditions so far as they are ar I within the control of a a. corporation are ue matters for or which T the officers of the toe corporation cor cor- aro are primarily responsible Labor Libor bor policies are Initiated and arid de determined de- de by the of officers cers A business busine s. s to b be successful ful must not only provide to labor remunerative employment under r proper working condition conditions but It must also abo render useful lI service r to the community community com corn and earn a fair alt return on the tho money In Invested ested Any Anyone one who has followed the contro contro- I I 1 II versy which has arisen ansen out of ot the tb-s theCo Colorado Cob Colo o- o redo rado situation e will have ha observed ed that t no effort has been spared pared to make It that I have hae attempted to exercise a kind of ot absolutism m over o er er the coal Industry In Colorado and particularly that I 11 have ha e 1 sought to dictate a a. policy o of Ban tion of unions An attitude toward tot In tn- tn and toward labor such auch as Is here hue Implied d Is I so abhorrent to me inc personally and BO so contrary to the spirit of my whole purpose and training that I T cannot allow these thea allegations to pass pus unnoticed Says He Favors Unions What bat are the facts First with reference to my attitude toward labor unions I believe e It to b ba be Just as proper and advantageous for or labor to associate te itself Into organized groups for tor the advancement of ot its Us legitimate In In In- at as for tor capital t to combine for the came tam object Sometimes the thoy labor unions provide pro benefit benent features tures sometimes some some- times the they seek to increase C wa- wa wares wages but what their specific purpose so eo long a as It is to promote the well ell being of ot th the employees em- em em em- having nh always a 6 due duo r Kard for foi the just interests of ot the employer and the public leaving every worker t free tree to n associate asso as ocIa o- o cIa cate te himself with Ith such uch groups or to work ork Independently as he ma may choose I favor them theta most moH heartily As respects the Question of ot the recognition or of ot labor unions in Colorado m my attitude lis- lis has been In conformity with mth the views I h have he e exPressed ex- ex pre Pressed sed relative to th tho r responsibilities of stockholders ers directors and mana managers rs The hiring anI and discharging of men and the framing Cramins of or aTe agreements ments as respects the ame same are functions which I have re regarded regarded re- re as rightfully bolon belonging nJ to the management and not to the stockholders or directors The Colorado Fuel and aed Iron has haa been managed ed on this prin pr-In- ciple The decision of ot the officers with respect to the recognition o of ot the union was reached without an any consulta consultation tion or communication with me and I had no knowledge kno of ot their decision until after the strike had been declared to Invited Advice of ot Employees The correspondence between himself and arid the officers of ot the Colorado Fuel an and Iron company during the strike which ha has already be eJ be-eJ fP made maee public showed Rockefeller said that he had Iud not hesItated hesitated hesi hesi- to mike make suggestions u for or more adequate tide ade quate representation ent of ot the employees in the zt of matters matte pertaining to the their r working conditions but that he hail had studiously avoided a anything which might afford ground for tho the belief that he was seeking to dictate a It policy or or arbitrarily control any situation The only coal prop property In Colorado in which we are ara in an any way a ay Interested d Is the tho Fuel and Iron company compan he be continued in addition to this company there ro are aro many other coal mining companies com com- panIcs ln tn that state slate n tn none of which either we or the Colorado Fuel and Iron com company ny have any Interest whatsoever and ana a large targe number of these companies were Involved In la the tho strike For me to hare hao attempted to to to dictate a J policy or control the situation would ha have meant an what 7 as assumption the ot of authority far beyond Investment which I represent pre ent In the tho Colorado Fu Fuel 1 and Iron company would havo justified Mistakes Have Boon Been Made Doubtless mistakes have been en made anI and conditions still sUIl arc are Imperfect I have no desire to defend defond any conditions that Rr aro ju justly subject to criticism I only ask k that the re P n for tor or them b be apportioned ap ap- portioned fairl fairly The problem l m now I la Is for all concerned to I develop P Increasing good will wl and to Improve conditions as far as asi ma may be possible To that end i my thoughts arid and activities h ho o for tor some som Ume tIme b been n nto devoted vot dAs d. d As to th the strike Itself man many die features have given elven me the deepest deep deop- est on concern I frankly confess that I felt there was something fundamentally a a. condition affair which of which rn ran ran- n- n dared dered possible the loi Iou of human ll Byes C Rendered engendered hatred And amid nd bitterness and wd brought suffering and privation upon hundreds of human beings Without seeking to aPPOrtion PP rt n blame I determined that in BO so o far tar as lay within m my power I would se ale means mean of ot avoiding the l tw s I of ot similar Rising conflicts conflict arising fRe- fRe where or In th the same Industry In the the future It Itts was ts I in this way ay hit that I came cam to recommend to my colleagues In th the Rockefeller foundation the tIm of n S series of studies Into the thc fundamental problems arising out of ot industrial industrial 1 roll rein which resulted In securing hi the th servIces Perv Ices of Kin CIng 1 former minister of ot labor tabor of or Canada Y t the studies Conference Is Ben Beneficial To the officers officer of the Colorado Fuel Met arid Iron company the witness stated he had forwarded with Ith his Indorsement the IIno line of at a 1 plan hy by Mr KinG to out out- board on which both a em- em would b be represented and before which questions affecting conditions of or employment could be discussed and ances examined The Tho president of the tho company replied that when the tha TTO strike wu was as ended the company would take uke ate steps S to give the employees snore more direct ct tation In this respect In m accordant accordance with this plan Rockefeller continued a Joint conference between the executive eXeCUtIVe officers u of tho the com company pan and tives l b by the men W wn held In n Driver er on January Itt 19 HI and KB its spirit hail had convinced the tho management that it would lead to more moro active operation co-operation between n the company compan and Its It employees in the theIn future In conclusion Mr Chairman Chair n Rockefeller Rocke- Rocke ke feller fabler f said raid Quite Quito apart from any particular tic Pam ular situation nta may nia I r express In utter r frankness the time views Ie s which as an ual uni and T I hold hoM towards the lame Into which your commission has been appointed to Inquire I Would Develop Manhood I 1 belIeve b that the ultimate object of or au all al activities Activities' in a II republic should be the development of or the th manhood of its Iti cUt r. r Zen n nl that such manhood can h be he dove dovel- dovel o to tho the d degree grec only under cor conditions of freedom for the the- individual i a and that thal Industrial enterprises can n and nd should be conducted 1 in ac accordance with these principles I I b believe le c th that t a a. corporation should be deemed to consist of Its stockholders di directors dl- dl rectors officers and nd employees that the therea thereal thereal rea real Inter interests of all are one and that th t neither labor tabor nor capital can permanently pro prosper per unless tho the Just rights of ot both aro are conserved It If with the responsibilities I have and the opportunities given en me I lam am able ablo to contribute towards promoting the well ell being of m my fellow chow men through h the lessening lee les of or Injustice and the alleviation lation of at human sufferings I shall feel eel that it has hu been possible to realize realise the highest purpose pur pose of m my life to All Were 0 C. F. F I. I Directors Commissioner Walsh at asked ked if It during durin l 1014 H Starr J Murphy Jerome D. D Gr Green cn and the tho ss all on the personal staff of ot John I D D. Rockefeller were directors tore tors of ot tho the Colorado Fuel an Iron com corn company company pany The witness said Mid Ye yes Prior to that the witness said he tte and others realized that the public was as not getting the facts concerning certain large arte corporations The witness came camo to be believe be- be lieve It was wal a mistake to maintain se secrecy M- M crecy regarding corporations nn and determined determined deter deter- mined to got fact s before the public He Ho I communicated last laet spring with Ivy 7 L L. Lee who ho was then connected with the Pennsylvania Pennsyl railroad Leo Lee worl worked ed In Colorado during his va va- va 3 cation catton Mr Rockefeller said Mid For his lila services John D D. Rockefeller Sr paid Lee a salary of 1000 a a. month No ico o charge was made against tho the Colorado Fuel and Iron company for tor the time money Rockefeller Sr Sr paid to L Lee Loe e tho the witness asserted or against the tho Victor American Fuel company compan or tho the Ro Rocky k Mountain Fuel company Property Values Increase The policy polley of publicity was determined upon last ut Juno by tho- tho Rockefeller and sari his personal staff Starr Tho witness personally per par engaged a ed Leo Lee for tor this work ork In Colorado He Ito gave o Lee fI no suggestions as he lie thought h he should hould make inSide his own o plans plaris Lee went to Colorado after ho he had bUg ug himself that t h ho Issue a serifS series of bulletins containing the tho truth about tho the situation In Colorado While Mr Ir Rockefeller testified te a police lieutenant In uniform stood behind his chair and watched tho the cro crowd d. d Scattered red around the tho room were a number of po po lice Uce detectives es who arrived at the tho city hall hail halla haila a few minutes before the Rockefeller said Mid his Interests did not intend at the tho t outset to develop the coal and Iron mines In Colorado The Tho Rockefell Rockefeller Rocke Rocke- fell feller r Interests he be said bought boughs a a. small emall stock ownership The COm company pan was all not nota a a. financial success so eo It was gan bc lied izeI 1 ReK Regarding tho the value value- of or real etA estate eUto to of ot the Rockefeller Interests in Colorado equipment of or the life plants and the amount of or mon money mone- which had been put back In the time property rt Rockefeller said lie Investment hl w Was wils probably worth more no now thin than when the Rockefeller r Int Interests sot got ot contra central I. 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