The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-06-04
MARTIAL LAW WAS
HERITAGE FROM
GOV. GLASSC0CK
Socialist Committee Has Exon
GRATED Hatfield
HAS BEEN UNJUSTLYACCUSE0
West Virginia Executive Will Per-
NIT Publication of Newspapers
That Had Been Suppressed

Chicago, June 4.-Gov. Hatfield Of
West Virginia is exonerated on a
number of charges popularity circulat
ed against him in connection with
the West Virginia coal mine strike,
in a report to the national committee
of the socialist party submitted here
at Chicago by Victor l.. Berger,
Adolph Germer and Eugene V. Debbs
who made a personal investigation.
The burden of resentment IN the re-
port is directed against Gov. Hat
fields predecessor, Gov. Glasscock.
1t was Gov. Glasscock says the re-
port, who was responsible 'or martial
law and many atrocities which the re
port alleges occurred during his adj
ministration.
Gov. Hatfield is censured for sup
pressing two socialist newspapers
and imprisoning their editors, but
the report quotes the governor as ad-
hitting that his actioa was unjust
and declaring that the papers might
continue to issue without molestation
from the state administration. One
portion of the report, speaking of the
present governor says: He further
claimed that he had abundant evil
dence with which TO convict some of
the leading strikers in the civil
courts, but that he had not felt dis
posed to press the cases against
them"
The committee of three appointed
by the national committee of the
socialist party met at Charleston, W.
Va, May 90 and the report declares
the members availed themselves OF
all possible sources of reliable infor-
nation. Scores of persons were in
terviewed. After several days of in
vestigation, it was decided to visit
Gov Hatfield, but the latter declared
he would see only Debbs. Debbs re-
luctantly consented to go alone only
when urged by the other committee
men. The interview was so highly
satisfactory, however, that on the fol-
lowing day the entire committee was
received
OF this interview the report says;
HE Gov. Hatfield) had inherited
martial law from Gov. Glasscock and
the reason he permitted it to remain
effective was because he was re-
quested to do so by the union min
ers themselves to prevent them and
their organizers nom being assault
ed and beaten up by the Baldwin
Feltz thugs in the employ of the
mine owners This statement of the
governor was subsequently verified
by all the officials and organizers of
the united mine workers" The COM
mittee learned from the governor
that he had two mine guards In Jail
and he had refused to liberate them
on bail offered by the operators. The
day previous to the interview the
governor had Internationally re-
leased all comrades" then remain
ing in prison.
The governor referred to the fact
that not in a single instance had he
affirmed a conviction of the military
commission, the report states. 1t
adds that the governor unhesitating-
ly declared that workingmen had the
right to organize and the right to
free speech and that he would pro-
tect them in that right to the extent
of his power" The committee found
the governor not opposed to the inn
pending senatorial investigation.
I'VE have no desire" says the re-
port ito exculpate Gov. Hatfield for
any act he is Justly responsible for,
but it is undoubtedly true that he
has been accused of wrongs which
were committed under the admins
tration of Gov. Glasscock, his pred
ecessor to whose official spineless-
ness and subserviency to the mire
owners are mainly due the outrages
which so long disgraced West Virgin
ia in the eyes of the nation.