The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-09-11
SOCIALISM, GREED
AND ENVY, A
FOR NINE STRIKE

Washington, D. c.. Sept. 9.-Greed Of
coal operators as well as the miners,
Bishop J. P. Donahue, of the Catholic
church., told the Senate investigating
committee today, was the fundamental
cause of the mine strike in West Vir-
ginia. Exorbitant prices in
stores from Is to % per cent above the
market, he gave as an instance of the
attitude of the operators.
The bishop was On a commission
which investigated conditions on Paint
and Cabin creeks. He was ~agreeably
surprised by the living conditions of
the miners.
o course we found no Turkish rugs
but we did find fairly comfortable
workingmen's homes" said the pre-
late.
Were the men c~ontented?" asked
Senator Kenyon.
They'll Never Be contented.
81 can best answer in the words Of
witness Griffith, who said the men
would not be satisfied until they owned
the mines."
Coming to the cause of the strike
the bishop quoted a line from the
wealth and sets the poor man OF fire"
and declared it applied to the situa-
ton in West Virginia. He added that
infidelity had been taught to the min
ers; that they had been taught that
the saying "the poor we have with us
always" was a farce, and that the min
ers had just as much right to automo-
biles and to live in Kanawha street as
the coal operators.
Senator Borah contended that if lab
oring men We're not ambitious they
would become industrial slaves.
"Ah. but not SO if property owners
are not filled with greed" returned the
bishop. 81 believe men should hold
property, not as their own, but as
trustees for others and that trustee
ship should be shown by acts"
Senator MARITIME asked Bishop Dona-
in his opinion, for the good of the
members.
His View of Unions.
The bishop hesitated until the ques-
ton was repeated, then said:
THAT may be one reason, another
is to furnish fat salaries to officials"
did you ever hear of an official that
ney Stedman, for the United Mine
Workers.
II did not speak Of accumulation. 1
referred to salaries" returned the
bishop calmly.
Attorney Monnett, also for the miners,
asked if the bishop thought gatling
guns, armored cars and ~bloodhounds
were some of the things that set the
soul of the miners on fire.
The bishop responded that he con-
sidered the use of those weapons best
| governed by the common law which
allowed the use of guns when the
user "a BACKED to the WALL The
bishop denied having come to Wash
ington at the request of the Goa mine
operators to protest against former
immigration Commissioner oKeefe
stopping immigrants going to West
Virginia mines, because the mines
were not unionized. The bishop de-
clared he came on his own volition.
He said the immigrants We're possibly
Catholics, but they We're not work
ing at it hard"
well, they pay up, and that is what
you want, suggested the attorney.
ooh, no; paying money does not
make a man religious. He must go to
church n live his religion. Take
away a MANS religion and you make
him little more than an animal. Get
some of these horrible ideas of infidel-
ity and doubt and socialism worked
out of the miners minds, much as you
work out beer at Carlsbad and nurture
a wholesome religious view of life,
and conditions will be better"
Bibles for Machine Guns.
The bishop denied that either indi-
vidually or officially he was interested
in West Virginia coal land or mines.
Senator MARITIME asked the bishop
what he would do TO remedy condi-
ions if he had the power.
First of all. | would require both
operators and miners to go to church
twice every Sunday" said the bishop.
81 would give each a bible as q steer
ing chart and then give trem about
eight beatituGes and make chem hang
two or three in their bedrooms, such
as ISessed Are the Poor in Spirit
and Blessed Are the Meek Those
would cause them to forget to use the
machine guns"