The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-04-18
IN WEST VIRGINIA.


tiary, where he had twice been SEN
fenced by a drum-head court-martial,
he grasped the hand of the lawyer and
with deep emotion said, "Mr. Houston,
tell the boys Use a better socialist
than ever l was"
Since the present gubernatorial in
cumbent, DOC" Hatfield, has taken
office recently and is claiming that
he will deal fairly, the miners propose
to give him reasonable time to show
that he is the shining exception
among capitalist politicians. William
e. Glasscock, the Roosevelt governor
who has just vacated the office, made
a miserable failure of his attempt to
pose as 1abor's friend" For many
months the c. & o. railroad has gra-
tuitously furnished the mine guards
with an armored train from which
they may invade mining camps and
fire upon defenseless human beings.
The miners, who have a keen sense
of humor, even in the midst of tragedy,
dubbed this train "The Bull Moose"
and this is the name it is known by
far and wide.
Hatfield has yet to approve, modify,
or countermand the findings of the
commission appointed by
Governor Glasscock. Mother Jones is
being detained in the bull pen at Pratt
and John w. Brown,
for many years national organizer of
the socialist party, and Charles H.
Boswell, the fearless and trusted edi-
tor Of the Labor Argus, and several
other socialists were sent to Point
Pleasant Jail pending Hatfield's &C
ton and due to the flood have been
removed to another county. The OBJ
ject in taking these men out of this
district pending final action seems to
indicate a wholesale fear of public
opinion, just as the establishment of
the court-martial as a substitute for
jury trial indicates that it would be
the absurd charges upon which they
are held before twelve citizens. Pend
ing Hatfields final judgment, which
will not become public property be-
fore next week, sort of tacit truce
is on and there are no new develop
ments. This offers us a good oppor-
fA toll ipH' g Of 10
situation in statu quo so that we may
be prepared to make a historical ex-
animation of the stirring events that
have made revolutionary labor history
among these mountain valleys. The
story is voluminous and as a key to
the detailed history of the struggle we
must understand the methods EN-
ployed ON both sides before we can
estimate the justification
for the conduct of the opposing forces
engaged in what is really civil war
and which threatens to spread through
out the Commonwealth and engulf the
corrupt government of this
state and the greedy and soulless cor
porations who represent the extreme
methods of capitalism.
The Legal Status.
Numerous miners have been sen
fenced by court-martial to terms in the
and in each case have
later been pardoned or paroled, evil
IDENTIFY to pacify the angry miners, who
seemed to be more thoroughly aroused
rather than intimidated by these acts
Of tyranny and secondly to prevent
the attorneys of the miners getting
hearing i'm the u. S. supreme court on
the consuutionality of a drum-head
sentencing civilians with
out trial to a state peniteutiary
In the case of Dan Chain, il was
claimed he broke his parole and again
became active in the strike and was
returned 10 the peuiteuuary Tt ifs
possible that tomorrow the supreme
court OF appeals OF West Wiz auia viii
hear arguments on this case. Ii is
more probable that it win be at a