Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-05-09
SAYS HE HAS REPORTS
THAT WERE SUPPRESSED
Has Flatly Turned Down the Request
OF West Virginia Operators to With
draw Resolution--Says That Miners
Were Fired On lndiserlminately BY
the Mine Guards.

WASHINGTON. May B. -seualor
John w Kern, of Indiana, Democrat
leader in the upper house, fatty turn
ed down the appeal Of the West Vir-
ginia mine operators that was made
yesterday 70 halt the proposed Sen.
ate investigation into STRIKE condi-
lions in the Paint and Cabin Greek
coal fields and announced that the re
olution win be pressed for passage.
The mine operators of West Virgin.
ia wired Senator Kern that the strike
has been settled and that they did
not think an investigation would be
necessary. The Indiana Senator is
much aroused over what has been
called TO his attention regarding CON
ditions in West Virginia and his re-
spouse to the niue operators was
that the inquiry would be pressed to
the limit.
Senator Kern stated today that the
mine owners and operators and the
New York financial interests are try
ing to block the federal investigation
into the West Virginia coal field con-
ditions. Senator Kern said that the
New York bankers had called him up
over the long distance telephone and
urged him to halt the investigation.
He also said that he has parts of the
reports made to the department OF
commerce and labor by the federal
agents which had been suppressed
These reports, the senator said, show
a barbarous treatment Of the miners
aud their families who were thrown
out OF their homes and fired on indis-
criminately by the mine guards and
deputy sheriffs.
Senator Kern fatty charges that
peonage exists In the coal fields OF
Kanawha county He said men are
hunted over the hills like wild ami
mails that Mother" Jones, whom he
regards as zone of the greatest wom
en- In America has been on trial by a
drum.head court martial for 80 days
in the strike region, and that the op.
orators have exerted all their influence
to keep the facts from leaking ont
Senator Kern expressed indignation
that woman who has been SO con
spicuous in humanitarian work should
be accorded such treatment He had
been informed, he said, that men who
had gone to report the trial of moth
sr" Jones were deported
Senator Kern also makes the start
ling accusation that the Department
of Labor and Commerce suppressed
whole pages of the report on condI-
tons in the section referred TO which
was sent to Washington by the inves-
tigators detailed for the work. He de-
clared that had these findings been
disclosed they would have been dam
aging to the operators, who are now
trying to head off the proposed Sen
ate inquiry.
Speaking of conditions in the strike
regions Senator Kern denounced the
methods employed to keep the miners
in subsection and said it was almost
incredible that such conditions could
exist within $50 miles of the national
capital
One incident related by Senator
Kern was that Is Bulgarians were i'm
ported into the fields in violation OF
the Contract Labor laws and were
used as strikebreakers. They found
conditions unbearable and tried to es-
cape. The railroads, dominated by
the mine owners, the senator charged
refused to transport the Bulgarians
and an agent of the Department OF
Labor and Commerce found them hud-
died together in a little station aud
learned their story.
THE senate is not concerned in the
settlement of the strike" the senator
declared. but in the condition which
led to the strike. 1t wants to find out
II there is peonage. white slavery or
reign il terror. as has been report
ed"
The Kern bill. calling for sweep
ing investigation is now before the
senate The senate committee on
contingent expenses has favorably re-
ported it and Senator Kern intends to
ask for its passage within the next
few days.
The bill directs that the senate com
mittee on education and labor be EN-
powered to make the investigation in
stead of a special committee. as pro-
posed by Senator Kern. The commit
tee VIII probably go to the coal fields
for great deal Of its evidence.