The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1912-05-31
"slus En- and Jug En-
Motto Suggested by Debs
By j. L. ENeDAHL.

Charleston, W. Va. May 49,
Slug EN- and jug 'em!" That is the
new motto suggested for the coat of
arm of the sovereign state OF West
Virginia by Eugene v Debs.
The veteran Socialist, who is again
back in the blacklist spot on the
United States fighting for the rights
of the rising workers, feels that that
is the insignia that ought to float over
the Duchy Elkins-Davis. until present
conditions have been radically chang
ed in favor of the working class.
When wage slavery has been abol-
ished and the last bit of feudalism
driven from the state, then it is con-
sidered early enough to restore the
present state motto Montani Sem
per Liberi" -meaning "Mountaineers
are always fee men"
The reigning policy in West .Vir-
ginia at the present time" declares
Debs, who has come to the state TO
investigate conditions in the KanaWha
war zone as the special ambassador
of the Socialist party, is to drive all
union men from the state and to beat
up, Jail, and imprison the organizers
of labor. For that reason the motto
of, Slug EN- and jug EN-" would be
especially appropriate
Deb's last visit to the state was
during the presidential campaign Of
last fall when he spoke in this city in
spite of the refusal of the authorities
to permit the Socialists to use hall
and in the face Of efforts to stop the
meeting altogether.
The coal cars of West Virginia
have heard of DebS before. AS long
ago as August, 1897, he invaded the
state and was met with the first anti
labor Injunction ever issued, this
form of judicial tyranny at that time
poisoning into popularity with the
rulers of West Virginia.
Debs was accompanied by William
D. Mahon, row the international presi-
dent of the street car men. They
would not permit him to 50 near the
mines. 1t was said. however, that his
words were like rifle shots" aud the
men in mine after mine left their
working places and came out on
strike. In one part Of the state the
miners held their meetings under a
large tree, all indoor meetings having
been forbidden. The coal baronS be-
came so incensed over these meetings
that the tree was dynamited out OF
the ground All that now remains is
a large hole in the ground.
The fight of the West Virginia coal
miners has been a long fight. 1t is be-
lieved that the present opportunity
will result in the complete orGaniZa-
ton Of the entire state. There are at
present about 10000 union miners in
the state with about $4,000 still out
side of the organization. West Viz
ginia' is one of the strategic points in
the nations coal mining situation
from the workers standpoint. This is
especially true insofar as it pertains
to the miners of Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio, whose products come in direct
competition with the output of the
West Virginia coal miners, just as the
products Of the non-uniOn Alabama
mines compete with the union mines
of Pennsylvania.
The unionizing Of the West Virginia
mines therefore means closing OF
the ranks in the forward march
against the power and the resources
of the American coal kings. 1t means
that the membership Of the United
Mine Workers Of America will sOal
above the 400 700 mark making Of
this militant labor organization the
largest body cforeanized workers on
the American continent and is
only superseded by the metal
workers union of Germany.