The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-06-07
WEST VA. Is LAND
+. r. or REAL SLAVERY
Continued From Page 1. .

t.5r ~. ~ SSAsSAAS VILLA y xSAS 4
.4 Continued From PAGE /.
even a mine superintendent, ! who,
preyed upon the oppressed and who
shot, beat and killed at will, are still
in service. :
The governor promised that he
would protect the organizers of the
miners against being bounced upon
by the mine guards. He promised to
repeal the martial law Immediately
and see to it that all the strikers get
their jobs>back. IT,
s. Slaves In Reality. .s
West Virginia is practically
cars country and the conditions
are deplorable, for the workers are
practically slaves Of the mining in
dustry," declared Berger 1.-The duke
of Abruzzi and king of Italy are sup
posed to own land in the coal district
as we'll as German and English lords,
along with the Standard Oil company,
the Guggenheims and Boston and New
York capitalists, and there Is in real
ity very little other work to be had
except work in the mines.
contained coal and took advantage of
the ignorance of the mountaineers.
who were not aware that wealth was
beneath them. The land is now
owned by the capitalists. The coal
companies not only own the lands,
but make the laws and judges, and
even to the supreme court. Immense
stretches of lands are owned by these
corporations just as We own our front
yards; West Virginia Is the private
property of mining companies. There
are private roads all over, the coun-
try guarded by watchmen who are
hired by the company.
THE coal corporation even owns
the homes or huts in which the work.
ers live, and when contract is signed
clause is inserted that any person
who. is not desired by the company
will not be allowed to stay overnight
in the house. There was a case cited
to me where an uncle of one of tho
miners stayed over night. He was
favorable to the union," it was later
discovered, and the miner who shell
tered him was beaten up.
j., Mine Owners Run Everything.
Zone can not imagine the power
of the mining company in this dis
trict," continued Berger. 1T elects
senators and judges. 1t owns both
the Republican and Democratic party
in the state. All laws are made to
suit the mine owners. All the judges
are elected through their influence,
even to the judges of the supreme
court. Such are the conditions we
were met with, face to face.
There is also this to be consid-
ered-in other states the mine work.
ers are for the most part foreigners,
while in West Virginia fully 95 per
cent Of the miners are natives. They
used to own the hills but are now
slaves to the treasures contained in
the hills. Warfare has been on for
years, due to the oppression by the
owners of the black diamonds. It
was a. bloody war between the noun
taineers and the, mine guards, es-
pecially during the last year.
During this turmoil, the authori-
ties took the part of the mine own
ers, the militia helped the guards,
the supreme courti backed the mill
tia; which goes tosshow that the mine
owners controlled all.
This was the. condition up to May
"a, when these thugs had the power
of officer of the law-they acted as
deputy sheriffs-taken away from
them. Now the guards are compelled
to get permits to carry guns from a
judge.
No Sympathy With Guards.
This is due to the activity of Gov
ernor Hatfield who does not have
much sympathy with the mine guards.
He himself is from, the stock Of the
old mountaineers. He Is a nephew
of the leader of the once famous Hat
field who had years OF battling with
the Mccoy family, and he feels KEEN
ly the feuds now existing between the
miners and owners. .-s. 81
THE governor has no conception Of
the labor problem: nor has he any
idea Of the Socialist party what it
means and what it's aims are It is
all Greek to him.
HE has promised to protect all
of the Mine Workers union
and the organizers of the Socialist
party hereafter"
In giving a. survey of the conditions
in the Cabin Creek and Paint Creek
districts, Mr.. Berger pictured the mis-
cradle conditions which have existed
in those districts during the tnsur-
rection.
THE mountaineers were often shot
down without any cause Whatsoever
he said. when the so-called Bull
Moose train, an armored train, went
through these districts last February,
the thugs used the. gatling guns on
every place where there was a light.
This was during the night, of course,
while the miners and their families
were trying to get what little rest
they: could. The guns were turned on
the cabins and the tents, and the
men, women and innocent children
were shot down, while the murder
ers kept their lights low so that the
miners could not respond to the fire.
This happened last February, before
Governor held office: gy:<..., 49,.
II talked: with women who had
gone Through this terrible seige, and
shook hands with: those who will carry