Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 8, 1914 Denver, Colorado – J. F. Welborn Testifies Before Walsh Commission
J. F. Welborn
The testimony of J. F. Welborn, President of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, before the Commission on Industrial Relations, which was begun on Friday afternoon, continued all day Saturday. Welborn was grilled by Chairman Walsh regarding telegrams he had received from John D. Rockefeller, Jr, concerning the conduct of the strike and was requested to bring such telegrams forward.
The telegram from Mr. Rockefeller to Mr. Welborn, released by John R. Lawson to the press on the Friday, was identified by Welborn and entered into the record of the Commission by Chairman Walsh.
Pamphlets issued by the “Committee of Coal Mine Managers,” which contain errors regarding the salaries of U. M. W. of A. officials, including that of Mother Jones, were discussed. Welborn admitted that the pamphlets were prepared for the coal operators by a hired “press agent” whose identity has not, thus far, been revealed.
From The Cincinnati Enquirer of December 6, 1914:
ADVICE ———- On Strike in Colorado ————
Received From Rockefeller in New York, Welborn Testifies. ———- Coal Company Says “Press Agent” From Outside State Prepared Operators’ Pamphlets. ———-
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE ENQUIRER.
Frank P. Walsh
Denver, Colo., December 5.-“Is there anyone you communicate with in New York except John D. Rockefeller, Jr.?” Chairman Walsh, of the Federal Industrial Relations Commission, asked J. F. Welborn, President of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, who resumed his testimony to-day in the investigation of the Colorado mine strike.
Welborn said he had heard from George J. Gould and others of the seven New York Directors of the company.
“To save time I shall ask you to file with us all the telegrams you have received from Rockefeller, Star J. Murphy and Jerome Green,” said the Chairman.
“I will bring all the telegrams I have,” replied Welborn.
The witness then identified a telegram from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., made public yesterday by John R. Lawson of the United Mine Workers. “But I should not care to have the telegrams given out as this was yesterday,” he said.
[Note: the telegram, from Rockefeller to Welborn, was entered into the record by Chairman Walsh during his grilling of Mr. Welborn.]
Welborn said the company had thirteen Directors, seven living in New York, and six in Denver, that the meetings were held in Denver, and communication held with the Rockefeller interests as represented by Rockefeller, Murphy and Green.
Welborn was questioned regarding pamphlets entitled “The Truth About Colorado,” and “Facts About the Colorado Struggle.” He said he would assume responsibility for the document, the writer of which did not wish his name known.
The company, he said, had spent about $12,000 printing the bulletins, and had distributed about 40,000 copies to educators, legislators, ministers and the general public.
Questioned by Walsh, the witness admitted that some statements in the bulletin might not be strictly accurate.
The writer, Welborn said, was not in Colorado.
“Does he expect compensation for his work?”
“I don’t know,” said Welborn, “when his work is completed, I shall have to audit his bill.”
“Who contracted his employment?”
“There was no contract. There was an oral understanding that he was to be compensated later. He is still making statements for us. His work is not finished. I don’t know whether the company or some one interested in the company is going to pay him.”
Walsh called the attention of the witness to a table appearing in a pamphlet, giving the sums alleged to have been paid to national officers of the United Mine Workers. According to this table sums paid out in nine weeks were as follows:
Frank J. Hayes $4,502, plus $1,667 for expenses. John McLennan $2,683, plus $1,469 for expenses. John R. Lawson, $1,773. Mary Jones, $2,668.
“Do you accept the personal responsibility for this?” asked Walsh.
“For as much of the published statement as has not been denied,” replied Welborn.
“If it is true that McLennan gets $4 a day will you correct it?”
“Just as soon as I believe it is wrong.”
Commissioner O’Connell said that the figures given were from the report of William Green, secretary of the United Mine Workers, and covered total salary and expenses for one year, not nine weeks. The statement in the pamphlet, which alleged that the delegates to the Trinidad convention that called the strike were selected and sent there by the officers of the union, Welborn declared he could not substantiate.
The total loss to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company caused by the strike was $800,000, Welborn said.
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[Photographs and emphasis added]
From The Lincoln Star of December 4, 1914:
TELEGRAM PLAYS IMPORTANT PART ———- Message Reputed From Rockefeller On Colorado Strike To Be Shown. ———- Head of Miners’ Union To Take Stand In Inquiry To Give Out Wire. ———-
Denver, Dec. 4.-John R. Lawson, Colorado member of the international executive committee of the United Mine Workers of America, announced today that John McLennan, President of District 15, who has been summoned as a witness before the industrial relations commission, would introduce a long telegram from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., giving minute instructions regarding the conduct the operators toward the coal miners’ strike.
This alleged telegram, addressed to J. F. Welborn, president of the Colorado Fuel & Iron company, is said to include directions for moulding public opinion and handling other matters connected with the labor war.
The telegram to be presented before the committee, according to John R. Lawson, follows:
The Telegram.
New York, April 30, 1914. Mr. J. F. Welborn, Mr J. M. Bowers, Colorado Fuel & Iron Co., Boston Building, Denver
Referring to my telegram of this morning, repeating telegrams from and to Dr. Foster [Chairman of the House Investigating Committee], the letter of Governor Ammons of November 27 to the operators and miners show that at that time the only obstacle to a settlement was recognition of the union. He then suggested a solution covering all points except recognition, and the operators accepted his suggestion, invited their employes who had not been guilty of disorder and other unlawful acts to return on the terms mentioned by him, and assured him and their former employes that they would conform in good faith to all of his suggestions.
It seems to us that the operators should call Dr. Foster’s attention to these facts and reiterate their willingness to accept this settlement. By so doing, they will place themselves in a very strong position before the public, in that it would be evident that all disorder since November 27 has been due to the refusal of the union to accept the settlement which was then proposed by the governor and accepted by the operators and rejected by the miners. Unless, in the meantime, there has been an important change in the situation, as stockholders and directors we strongly urge that the operators made reply to Dr. Foster along these lines.
(Signed), JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER JR.
To Make Identifications.
It was announced by the industrial relations commission that J. F. Reade, Denver manager of the Western Union Telegraph company, had been subpoenaed to testify as to the authenticity of the copy of the alleged telegram to be introduced by the United Mine Workers.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., is a heavy stockholder in the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company…..
Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Mines and Mining House of Representatives, Sixty-Third Congress, Second Session Pursuant to H. Res. 387, a Resolution Authorizing and Directing the Committee on Mines and Mining to Make an Investigation of Conditions in the Coal Mines of Colorado. Washington, DC, Government Printing Office, 1914 –Martin D. Foster, Chairman. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/011159608 Letter from Gov. Ammons dated Nov 27, 1913 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hj1e84&seq=253 *also note that the “Dr. Foster” referred to above was Rep Martin D. Foster of Illinois https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_D._Foster
Rockefeller’s hirelings are circulating reports in the capitalist press that fabulous sums are being paid to Mother Jones and other organizers of the mine workers of Colorado. The truth is all mine organizers receive but $4 a day while at work. During the whole period Mother Jones was in prison she did not receive a cent of pay because she wanted the money to go to the strikers’ fund.
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