River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-06-19
STRIKE Of MINERS
TO Be RENEWED
NEWS OF VOTE COMES AS SEN.
ATE INVESTIGATION Is
HELD.
OPERATORS TO PRESENT CASE
Numerous Array of Witnesses to Go
Before committee-Guard Who
Told of Rife Fire on Miners
Camp to Face Ordeal.

Charleston, w. Va, June 1.-THE
case of the coal mine operators of the
state of West Virginia is now being
presented before the senate mine
strike Investigating committee. Sun
day the attorneys for the operators
lined up the scores of witnesses they
will produce to show they are not to
threw the Paint Creek and Cabin
Creek mining districts into state of
civil war.
Word of Another Strike.
simultaneously with the opening of
this investigation word came to
Charleston from various sources that
the miners at work in the operations
on Paint and Cabin creeks had voted
at mass meeting to renew the strike
which for a year has convulsed the
coal field. According to reports reach
ing Governor Hatfield, meetings at
Eskadale and in the mountains above
Kayford voted not to return to work.
Representative Of the miners APP
pearing before the senate committee
investigating the strike received con-
frmation of the report that the strike
had been renewed.
Would Break Down Story.
Much of the activity of the mine
owners lawyers will be directed to-
ward breaking down the story of Lee
Calvin, an ex-mine guard. the star
witness for the miners who, on Satur-
day, told the committee of his eX-
periences on the armoured train,
which shot up the camp of the
miners at Holly Grove on Paint Creek,
just before the last declaration of
martial law. Calvin accused Quinn
Morton, a mine operator, of urging
that the train return and fire again
on the tented camp, after the fire from
the cars had once raked the little vii
lage, and after Cisco Essep had been
killed beside his little home. Quinn
Morton himself, Sheriff Bonner Hill
who was on the train, and others who
were on the train will be called by
the operators in an effort to disprove
Calvin's statement. Calvin will be re-
called for cross-examination.
The discussion of general conditions
leading up to the strike is the only
b~anch of the inquiry which the COM
mittee has left to dispose of during
it's stay in Charleston. On this point
the operators desire to present many
witnesses. When the inquiry here is
concluded, the committee will return
to Washington to concluded it's hear
ings. What the final result of the in
quiry will be is matter which the
big galaxy of stars engaged by both
sides is discussing eagerly The com
mittee, under the resolution of the SEN
ate authorizing the investigation, has
solely the power to investigate and
report.
Whether the senate itself has juris-
diction over any of the matters in
volved and the operators is a grave
question. 1t is probable that as a mat
ter of interstate commerce the senate
may initiate remedial legislation as to
any combination against the mine
operators of West Virginia-such as
is charged in the resolution"
But beyond that even the members
of the committe themselves doubt
their authority to take any real action.
"The state of West Virginia is not
on trial here" is the way Senator
Swanson, the chairman of the CONT
tee, states the question. This COM
mittee has no power to try any one
for any offense. We are simply here
to determine the facts, and report them
to the full committe on education and
labor, to be presented to the senate
for it's incarnation"