The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 75, July 1971 - April, 1972 Page: 126

126 Southwestern Historical Quarterly
The Clifton-Morenci Strike. By James R. Kluger. (Tucson: University of
Arizona Press, 1970. Pp. 94. Bibliography, index. $3.50.)
This slim volume describes a strike among Mexican copper miners in
southeastern Arizona in 1915 to 1916. The author does a good job illus-
trating the feelings of the workers, townspeople, and state troops as well
as the interplay of events between the strike leaders, mine owners, sheriff,
and governor. The author seemed a bit biased at first, apparently accept-
ing, for example, the statement by the director of the state bureau of mines
that one reason for the large number of strikes was "too much leisure
time" to become dissatisfied with one's way of life. Twice the author refers
to union organizers as "agitators," but he becomes more objective when
the corporations use the same label: "The managers contended that "agi-
tators" of the Western Federation had entered the district. .. .." Overall,
the author delivers a balanced and lively account of a strike that was not-
ably peaceful, which made it unusual for its time and place.
University of Texas, Arlington GEORGE GREEN