Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-06-12
Will Wage Great Campaign
To Organize West Virginia
(Ry J. [. Ensdahi.) .


the American labor movement Nnsur-
passed by anything that has HAPPENED
up to the present time.
1t is said OF West Virginia that it
Is the most northern of the southern
seates, the most southern Of the north
ems states, the most western of the
eatesrn states and the most eastern OF
the western states. One look at the
map verifies this view of West Vir-.
gfnia's geographical location, at the
same time making very apparent it's
strategic position.
If it is impossible for labor to make
progress in West Virginia then The
South" is hopeless until this condition
will have changed. At the present
time the economic and political move
ments OF Ibor have little of which to
feel proud in "The South.
Once West Virginia has been won.
however the outlook immediately be-
comes much brighter. This is true for
various reasons. There are about 3d.
900 negro voters in West rginia.
Most Of them, of course. vote the Re-
publican ticket while the hos$es ON
the job use them as foil against the
native and foreign white worker.
White and Black.
Many OF the West Virginia negroes
work In the coal mines, and live as
next door neighbours to the white min
ers. The situation is often found
where three miners cabins adjacent
to each: other successfully house the
family of a native white miner
co1ored miner and foreign white
miner. II race prejudice is to be beat
en- down in the economic and political
struggles of the working class for its
own emancipation, West Virginia is
the place to make the first, big, begin
ming.
Then If it can be done for the miners
of West Virginia ~ can be done for
the miners Of Old Virginia, of Ken
lucky, Tennessee and Alabama. There
are no union miners among the is, 900
coal diggerS OF Old Virginia. There
is an organization OF growing strength
in Kentucky, the semblace~of union
IN Kentucky, the semblance OF a union
being made to rehabilitate the power
Of the United Mine Workers that was
anniAilated IN Alabama in 1909.
While West Virginia has it's rapidly
passing Baldwin Guard System, the
miners in these southern states CON
front what is known as the contract
system. Through the contract sys-
TEN the working of the mines is let
out to contractors who hire men to
work in gangs under them. 1t so hap
pens that the contractors are white
men while the gangs are made up OF
colored miners thus establishing race
distinction very favorable to the in
terests Of the mine owners. :
Baldwins a Detriment.
The Baldwin guards of West Virginia
are detriment to the organization OF
the West Virginia miners just as the
contract system is detriment to the
organization of the southern mine work
ers. 1t is absolutely = necessary that
they should both be wiped out
In many of the states of the nation
the district organizations of the mirr
workers are the back bone of the sta o
labor bodies. This will ultimate.
turn out to be the fact in West VIZ,
ginia, Old Virginia, Kentucky, Tennt 4
see and Alabama
First Real Fight
With the abolition of serfdom II
West Virginia the first real fight can
be made on the peonage that preva
in practically every southern state
The timber workers of Mississippi AMI
Louisiana will have a fighting chanc.
against the bitter hostility of the lunr-
Der interests. The cruelty exploitefi
toilers of the Carolinas, Georgia an
Florida will then get within hailin
reach of something akin to industrial
freedom.
1t is hardly to be expected that the
political movement of the workers can
develop any considerable strength UNI
til the oppressed enjoy. some semblance
of economic freedom which Is not the
case today n The South. The min
ers, more than any other wing of the
economically organized workers, are
rapidly moving toward this goal. VITA
the situation In West Virginia settled
in their favor the march of the mine
workers power southwark to the Gulf
OF Mexico will be rich with opportuni-
ties and promising Of great success.
Outside of this territory the coal
miners are facing but two serious
struggles at the present time. Twen-
ty thousand dollars are being sent
weekly to Vancouver Island in British
Columbia, to aid the miners there in
winning recognition for their organi
cation; while $4,000 are being sent
weekly into the northern coal fields
of Colorado in the fight that is being
carried on there for the same purpose.
Expect Great Progress.
It is expected that great progress
will be made in West Virginia witfl
the next few weeks. The Kern ~
vestigating Committee took evidel,' IA
for several days at Washington, D..
G., and on Tuesday, June 10, a s.s'-
committee began its work in this city.
The mine owners continue using the
lobstructioh4st methods at their dfspts-
al. In an effort to brighten the sub.
committee from coming to Charleston
the mine owners threatened that su. 4
a visit would Immediately result n
renewal Of civil war in the coal