The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-05-05
Sen. Kern Will Press His
Resolution For Inquiry

'Sh "HItn IcGuhl cOllulllOnS nave bee.
Instituted. Abuses haye grown ~.
which, IN my Judgment, an nvestiga.
ton by the Senate will 70 far 10 re-.
move.
THE mine owners have instituted
. system Of guards. the Baldwin
Guards and the wishes OF the min"
owners have been ruthicssiy executed
by these private mercenarics. The
minciMg towns, have been owned ell.
iuely by the companies, aud whatever
conditions tn. companies wished .
impose were imposed. The company' !
stores IiouriShed nightly, and every.
one who can r.ld knows what abuses
in this respect always result Tin
miners were forced TO live In cabins
V hich were novels and shacxs unit ior
habitation, far beneath the standard
tot life which Is the American stnnu.
ard Tor working maa.
lisGSl'S5tIoU WIZ PREVENT.
but the great ..Icnace which ;h,
Investigation will reveal and tend 10
prevent the growth Oi, has been III"
suspension OF civil right, and the cs
ia bifsifmeht OF government by Il Mil
tary commission. The Governor. By
executive order. declared a state O:
war and deprived the miners OF the
right OF trial by Jury. aud OF the rights
'oI habeas corpus.
"EXtension OF such conditions. in
ether parts o! This country would be
most dangerous TO the fundamental !
principles oI our government, All
this is most cmphatically true. ire.
sp2ct!vc OF the merits OF the strike.
irrespective Of whether the miners did
do the things which the companies
charge them with. For these reasons
an investigation which Will bring out
all the facts is most desirable"
The American Federation Of Labor
has swung tn behind the Kern resp
luton and Is pushing 1t with every
mite OF influence which this great
labor organization can command. Its
various affiliated bodies are being
urged to bring pressure 10 bear on
the Scnatc in favor OF the invcstisa.
tion.
From indianapolis to-day came i
letter and telegram from the head.
quarters of the United Mine Workers
q, America to Senator Kern. The tel.
cgranI says:
international board OF United Min"
Workers OF America. in session here.
highly appreciates sincere effort yOU
ore putting forth to secure federal in-
vCsIigation OF conditions IN West Nir.
giuia coal fields. Hope YOU continue
to Hrge this Investigation. as several
C; our representatives are imprisoned
by court martial and denied all rights
accorded citizens under civil laws"
The letter. which Is from John | &.
white. president of the t'nitcd Mite
Workers. says in part:
I'VE hope nothin. will prevent con
grcss from approving your resolution
end trust there will b" no abatcmen; oE
interest until this investigation has
been authorized and full power siyCl
&c probe the derlorabia conditions"
Watson Wants It Stopped.
Meanwhile the senator is being vcrr
vigorously urged from other sources
ncl 10 press the resolution. lie is re-
Giving letters. kilograms and long
Gistancr telephone appeals 10 le, the
Mhol" mail.r drop. To one long dis.
tancc tclcphon" message OF this kind
from New York the senator gave an
answyr tha; was not calculated TO turn
away wrath. Large business interests
profess 70 fear ihat AT Investigation
ct This kind, coming or top OF tariff "c.
vision. would 20 far toward unsettlinS
| business conditions. To-day tue sen
alUr received Il telegram from former
Senator W2tSon. Of West Virginia.
who said that rc,opcn!ns OF the mat.
III now by ihc federal authorities
would not only be reputation OF III.
state authorities but might upset
what seems TO be u satisfactory agree
mcnt"
Frank Morrison, secretary OF the
American Federation OF Labor. said
IL IL