9
individuals and the public, not to feel he needed to depend on the guidance of others, but rather to
trust his own true purpose as a guide…. [33]
Later in the month, King was called to New York to consult with JDR Jr. and CF&I attorney Fred A.
Harrington. The lawyer had brought all the evidence presented at the first round of hearings conducted in
Denver by the U.S. Commission on Industrial Relations. CF&I also wanted input from JDR Jr. and King
about Governor Elias Ammons’ proposals for a workers’ compensation program [34] and for a mediation
commission similar to one in Wisconsin. King recommended seeking a clause in the legislation that would
assure representation on the commission for both labor and capital. [35] Harrington initially wanted King
to come to Colorado and to assist in drafting the proposal, but later reversed that position.
On December 28, King returned to New York to discuss with JDR Jr. and Harrington a plan of
conciliation developed by CF&I management. Earlier in December, upon the ending of the strike, Welborn
dutifully wrote JDR Jr. that plans were under way for the kind of board JDR Jr. had proposed earlier.
CF&I already had hired a former state mine inspector to oversee the plan. [36]. The plan involved
occasional meetings to be held in Denver. King challenged the idea that officers should select the
participants. Instead, King urged that each mine elect representatives. Later that evening, at JDR Jr.’s
request, King assisted Harrington in drafting the notice to be distributed to workers. Rockefeller approved
the notice “almost to the letter of the phrasing.” [37]
JDR Jr. also sought King’s advice on how to explain the plan to Seth Low, who had been
appointed to chair the new Colorado Coal Commission. King’s diary says that Rockefeller later met with
Low, who expressed his “entire approval” of the plan. [38] Low also agreed to give the parties time to
work out their differences without intervening or coming to Denver. [39] However, Low also told JDR Jr.
that King’s appointment was not popular with labor leaders in the United States. King then had to explain
to his client that the unions wanted to avoid legislation similar to Canada’s Industrial Disputes Act.
Rockefeller’s support of King never wavered.
Convention