The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-09
BISHOP DONAHUE
BEFORE COMMITTEE
Operators and Operatives
Both to Blame, He Says
NO TURKISH RUGS
Feather Beds in Dwellings. However,
Prelate Says Men Will Not Be
Content Until They Own
the Mines

Washington, September S.-Greed on the
part of the coal operators as we'll as
the miners, Bishop p. J. Donahue of
Wheeling, w. V. told the Senate investi-
eating committee today. was the funda-
mental cause for the West Virginia strike.
Exorbitant prices in company stores
from 10 to D per cent above the mar
ket value he gave as an instance on the
part of the operators.
The prelate was on commission which
Investigated conditions on Paint creek
ard Cabin creek. He was agreeaby sur
prised by the living conditions of tho
mirers.
"of course we found no Turkish rugs
but we did find feather beds in working
mems dwellings," Bishop Donahue saiu.
Were the men contented?' asked Sena-
tor Kenyon
II can best answer in the words of
Witness Griffith, who said the men
would not be satisfied until they owned
the mines. y
Coming to the cause of the strike the
bishop quoted a line from the psalms:
"The rich man flaunts his wealth and
sets the poor man on fire without in
sense
He declared 1t applied to the West Vir-
ginia situation. He said infidelty had
been taught to the miners; that they had
been taught the axiom, THE poor we have
with us always was farce, and that
the miners had just as much right to
automobiles and to live In Kanawha street
as the coal operators themselves.
| Senator Borah contended that if labor
| ing men We're not ambitious they would
| become Industrial serfs.
| "Ah. but not so if property owners are
| rot filled with avarice.' retorted Dona-
| hue. Il believe men should hold prop
erty, not their own, but as trustees
for others called posterity. and that the
| stewardship should be shown by acts
| themselves
Prelate Hesitates
] Senator MARITIME asked the prelate If la
| Dor unions were not organized in his opin-
ion for the good of the members social
| istcally.
The prelate hesitated until the interroga-
tion was repeated and then said:
That may be one reason: another is to
| furnish fat salaries for managing heads.'
Ibid you ever hear of official worth
| $20,000?" demanded Attorney Steadman for
| the United Mine Workers.
| Il did not speak of accumulatons; [
referred to salaries" Bishop Donahue re-
turned.
Attorney Monnett, also for the miners.
asked If the bishop thought guns armored
| cars and bloodhounds were some of the
things that set the soul of the miners
on fire. Bishop Donahue responded that
he considered the of those weapons
best governed by the common law, which
allowed the use of guns when the user
was backed to the wall.
Testifies of Own Volition
The bishop denied having come to
Washington at the behest of the coal OPP
orators to speak in opposition to former
| immigration Commissioner Keefes ef-
forts stopping immigrants going to the
| West Virginia mines because the mines
were unionized The bishop declared he
| came on his own voltion He said the
| immigrants were possibly Catholics. but
| they were not working at it very hard.
| They pay up and that is what you
| want" the attorney suggested.
| "Oh, no, paying money does not make
man religious" the bishop said. "He
must go to church and live his religion.
! Take away a mans religion and you
| make him little more than animal with
| out his lunch. Get some of these hor-
| rfble ideas of infdelity and doubt and
| socialism worked out of the miners
| minds and into the shadow. They have
| no place in Carlsbad and do little nur-
| turing of a wholesome view of life and
working conditions In the United States.a
| Senator MARITIME asked the bishop what
| lie WOuiu 40 10 remedy cOndltlonS III ne
| had the power.
| Operators and Men to Church
| First. l would require both operators
| and operatives 10 go to church twice
| every Sunday the bishop said. II
| would give a Bible as a steering chart
| and then teach them about beatitudes
| and make them hang two or three in
| their bedrooms, such as Blessed are the
poor in spirit and Blessed are the
| meek These would cause them to for
get to use the machine guns and adopt
| the buttermilS diet"
| l.. L. Sehrier, in charge of the Chesa-
peak and Ohio special officials. testified
| that the agents were sent up the creek
to protect the railroad property. its pas
! sengers and freight traffic. but in no
| case to leave the railroad. The machine
gun owned by the railroad was used
only. after rifle fire became ineffective
| and then only % shots We're fired by II.
| He ordered the gun put into protect
his special officers. he said. after the
governor had declined TO declare mar
tial law and order.