The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-09
MINERS GREEDY:
ALSO OPERATORS
Bishop Donahuc Tells Investi
eating Committee of West
Virginia Strike.
RICH MAN FLAUNTS WEALTH.
Miners Live Well, but Will Not
BE Satisfied Until They
Own All the Mines.

Washington. September s.-Grced of
the coal operators, as we'll az the
miners, Bishop p j. Donahuc. OF
Wheeling, w Va. OF the Catholic
Church. told the SENATE investigating
committee to-day, was the fundamen
tai cause OF the West Virginia strike.
EHorbitant prices In company stores.
from ID TO % per cent above the mar
kct, N" gave as one instance on the
part of the operators The bishop
WAS on commission which invcsti-
gated conditions on Paint and Cabin
Creeks. lie was agrccaDly surprised
by the living conditions OF the miners.
'Of course. we found no Turkish
rugs. but we did find fairly comfor,a-
bic work!ngmen's homes" said the
speaker.
We're they contented?" asked Sen
ator Kenyon.
II can best answer in tho words OF
a witness. who said the men would not
be satisfied until they owned the
mines"
Rich FInunt WcnIth.
Coming to the cause OF the strike.
the bishop quoted line from the
Psalms, The rich man naunts his
wealth and sets the poor man on fire.
ana declared IL applied to the situa-
ton In West Virginia. He added that
inhdclity had been taught to the
miners; that they had been taught tina,
the saying. the poor we have with
us always" vas q farce. and that the
miners had jus, as much n right to
automobiles ana TO live In Kanawha
street AZ the coal operators.
Senator Borah contended that II la
boring men were not ambitious they
would become Industrial slaves
"Ah. but not 50 If property owners
are not hlied with greed" returned
the bishop Il believe men should hold
property not as their own. but as trus-
tees for others. and that trusteeship
should be shown By acts"
Purpose OF Labor Unions.
Senator MARITIME asked Bishop Dona
hue II labor unions were not organ
ICED, in his opinion. Tor The good OF
the members. The bishop hesitatcd
until the question was repeated, then
said
That may be one reason: another
is TO furnish fat salaries 10 officials =
Did YOU ever hear Of an official that
was worth 2c,000?" demanded Attor-
ney stcdri,an, for the United Mine
Workers.
u did not speak o, accommodations ;
] referred to salaries" returned the
bishop calmly
Quotes Common Inv.
Attorney Monet, also for the miners,
asked II the bishop thought Calling
guns, arIuor.d cars ana bloodhound
We're some OF the things that set the
soul OF tho miners on nre. The bishop
responded tiat he considered the use
OF these weapons TO be government
by the common law. which allowed
the use Of guns when the user was
backed 10 the wall"
The bishop denied having come to
Washing ton IT the request OF the coal
operators to protest against former
hmm grafton Commissioner O'Keefe
stopping immigrants going to West
Wire MIA mines because the mines were
not uniouzed. The bishop declared he
came on his own volition He said
the Immigrants were possibly Catho-
lies. but they were not working 1T
IL hard"
"PnyinE Up" Not Religion.
Well. they pay up and that IL what
you want" suggested the attorney.
oh. no; paying money does not
make man religious. He must go to
church ana live his religion. Take
away mans religion and YOU make
Him little more than an animal. Get
some OF those horrible ideas of in
fidelity and socialism worked out OF
the miners minds. and nurture a
wholesome religious view OF life, and
conditions VIII be better"
The bishop declared that neither in
dividualiy nor officially was he inter
ested in West Virginia coal lands or
mines.
Senator MARITIME asked the bishop
what he would do TO remedy condi-
lions II he had the power
First Of ALL / would require both