The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-06-08
RUSS|AN|z|NG GOING
ON IN WEST VIRGINIA
Coal Barons Wage Desperate War
On the United Mine. Workers
Of America.

CHARLESTOWN,W w. Va, June c.
The coal barons Of this state are de-
termined to RussioniZa the entire state
of West Virginia and for this purpose
the legalized outlaws known as the
Baldwin Detective Agency have been
engaged, says the Labor Argus. Arms
and ammunition are being distributed
all over the territory affected by the
strike and the guards in the nonunion
district have been REINFORCED several
times their usual strength.
The operators are bowling against
the United Mine Workers as a foreign
institution coming in here to destroy
their business. This charge, like the
other they made against the foreign
miners they brought in to break the
previous strike, is too thin to be given
serious consideration.
Squads of armed guards have been
sent to Campbells Creek, Paint Creek.
kellys Creek and all other places that
are isolated. So far there has been
no disorder nor has any property been
endangered; then why this armed
force of hired gun men? 1t is unlaw.
full for the miners to march even
though unarmed as our courts have
decided that it was for the purpose
OF intimidating, and, therefore, was
unlawful, but it is not unlawful for
the armed guards to march in bodies
with guns in hand, and to ship arm.
in carload lots in order to intimidate
the striking miners who are only ask
ing for living conditions, and the pri-
Vllege of exercising their rights guar
anteed to them by the Constitution of
this state and nation. Both the Ga
zette and the Mail have printed COL
umns giving the operators side of
this controversy. In these articles the
coal barons have threatened to throw
the miners out Of their houses LEGALLY.
they say. But what do they mean by
this?
They simply mean that a BODY of
guards will be taken up these various
creeks and without any process of
law, but only by sheer force will throw
these people out of their homes or
rather the shacks they call home.
When they say legally" they mean
by the might of the Winchester. It
makes our blood run cold when we
thing that these hired thugs are COM
A1oo SAAAA SioCAAOO Will duCnOTlIy
by the state and cednty officials to
trample upon the sacred rights of the
citizens of this state.
When our officials who have been
elected to office, and whose sworn du-
ty 1t is to protect the right of the pri-
waite citizens of this state prostitute
!! themselves to the corporate thieves
VINO profit by prinding the lives out of
human being and coming their blood
into profit, refuse to do their sworn
duty there, is but one recourse lef,
for the oppressed and down-trodden
| people. Such legaliZed anarchy and
brutal force as is being used bv the
coaloperators in this fight can onlv
! pc successfully met with more force
! When the law and the officials 81 ,re
| law refuse to furnish your protection
| it is your duty to yourself and to vour
families to protect yourselves.
! Our laws of today in this Russian.
| lied state are what the tools Of the
| coal barons have made them. and
| what the coal barons courts constr,,e
them to be. They can do whatever
they want to legally, as whatever thei,
prostituted court says, is law. and
that court will say whatever the Goa,
operators and railroad corporations
tell them to say