was the ludlow massacre the right reaction ?

Answer 1

I do not quite get your question?

Was the Colorado Militia, the mine operators and their hired thugs right? I read the "Wiki" material, but I live close by Ludlow in Southern Colorado. It is not ancient history here.

The mines were before Ludow and afterwards dangerous,
I think our worst disaster was at Hastings in 1917 a few miles away. Had they not sent in Federal troops amy think that a near civil inserection would have occured, this was, is Colorado
not some West Virgina coal town but the "Wild West".

I'd guess 50% of the folks here are decended from miners.
I grew up knowing all about the events, the hatred of the Militia
and the Colorado governor Elias M. Ammons went on for decades. Notthing much but ruins, ghost towns and yearly a Memorial is held by the UMW at Ludlow.

The Colorado Militia are those wonderful "soldiers" who also gave America in 1866 the "Sand Creek Massacre" where they butcherd hundreds of unarmed Native Americans, mostly women, children and old men. Got to hand to that Colorado saw the worst Indian butchery and labor violence against women and children. Well at Sand Creek, also just up the the road, the only Regular US Army officer told the Militia commander to "stick it".

You will find nothing dedicated to either the state Militia nor the gov in Colorado; the state had a "memorial" in Denver to the Militia that was recently chiseled off. There is about to be a National Memorial for Sand Creek.

Basically, the miner owners owned the state, every political office of use, etc. Most of the miners were immigrants or Hispanic citizens not Mexican. They had no "civil rights", the locals, well hated immigrants and even the KKK moved into Southern Colorado.

Very "anti-Catholic" issues allied to Ludlow, as the miners were
from Catholic countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, etc or Greek
(Orthodox) and thus shooting and killing them was consistent with Colorado traditions. My family well: Welsh & Croatian miners.

Figured that I owed you a remark on the Colorado Militia.

Answer 2

Although the deaths of the women and children hiding in a pit under the burning tents was probably an accident - the lead up to this event was almost certainly an over-reaction to the situation by the militia. I can't see a valid reason excuse for the murder of Louis Tikas, however.

The counter argument is that the strikers had taken to murdering replacement workers which led to the militia's decision to destroy the tents.

As usual with history (which is why I love it so) there are arguments and counter-arguments for everything.

Answer 3

During the battle, four women and eleven children had been hiding in a pit beneath one tent where they were trapped when the tent above them caught fire. Two of the women and all of the children suffocated

In the end, the strikers failed to obtain their demands, the union did not obtain recognition, and many striking workers were replaced by new workers. Over 400 strikers were arrested, 332 of whom were indicted for murder. Only one man, John Lawson, leader of the strike, was convicted for murder, and that verdict was eventually overturned by the Colorado Supreme Court. Twenty-two National Guardsmen, including 10 officers, were court-martialed. Only Lt. Linderfelt was found guilty of assault for his attack on Louis Tikas, and was given only a light reprimand.

The wholesale and wanton slaughter of men, woman and children by a 'militia' force (strikebreakers) hardly seems a 'right' response. A black eye for American justice.
I really don't see much 'right' in any of this.