The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-06-18
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DEPORTATION OF UNION MINERS
CONTINUE.
Gen. Bell Gives as Excuse That
Western Federation Is Socialist
Organixation---Lar Mines at
Cripple Greek, Except Portland,
Resume work.

Cripple Greek June 14.-Practically
all the large mines in the district
which closed down last Monday are
working again.
The Portland mine, which contin.
ued working until Thursday, when it
was closed by military order, has not
been reopened and the company has
not announced its plans. This is the
only large mine in the district in
which union miners have been en-
ployed during the ten months since the
conducted on the open shop plan and
almost half the force laid off when
Gen. Bell ordered the mines shut down
were non-union.
Gen. Bell declares that no members
of the Western Federation of Miners
will be permitted to remain in the
camp and that the Portland company
consequently will be forced to fall IN
line with the policy of the other mine
owners, who organized to fight the
miners federation.
What Bell Thinks.
Gean. Bell has given out state.
ment concerning his action in deport-
ing strikers and the cause leading up
to the same. He attributes the recent
troubles growing out of the miners
strike and the strike itself, to the So
cialist element in the Western Fedora
ton of Miners, who, he says, captured
the organization two years ago.
He declares that the Federation has
made unionism secondary considera-
ton, and that the organization, root
and branch, is being made vehicle
for the promotion of Socialism.
The leaders, he asserts, have not hes
itated to cause weak and willing
members to commit any crime to strike
terror to property owners OF working
men who refuse to obey their dictates. !"
The only hope for peace and security
of life and property was to "extermi-
nate the Federation from the camp"
&c. 8 the head of the state militia,
responsible only to the governor, the
general continues, it became his duty
to effect this result.
|
trict belonging to the Federation was
ordered. Unless they were able to
show clean bill of health they were
placed in the bull pen and held or de-
ported.
The deportation of Federation men,
Gen. Bell declares, is "a n ilitary me-
cessity" They are not being deported
because they are union men nor to
destroy unionism, but because it is be-
lieved they are menace to the peace
and welfare of the district.
Statement TO Be Made.
After conference between represen-
tatives of various local unions and the
mine owners and the Citizens Alli-
ance, at which good feeling was shown
on all sides, the employers agreed to
make full and frank statement con-
corning their attitude toward all or
ganized labor. A committee is now
preparing draft of such statement.
There are large number OF local
unions in the district, the majority be-
ing affiliated withe the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, with which the en-
ployers have no grievance.
Matters seem to be settling down
gradually and the bitter animosity that
has prevailed between various classes
of people seems to be abating materi-
ally. More reason and fairness are be-
ing shown in discussing the strike sit
uation in all of its various phases.