The Washington times., 1913-06-08
Nineteen Mine Leaders
Indicted by Grand Jury

CHARLESTON. W. Va, June s.
President John F. White and eighteen
other officials of the United Mine Work
ers of America, have been indicted in
the Federal court here on a charge Cf
violating the Sherman antitrust law.
1t is alleged the defendants conspired
with the coal operators of western
Pennsylvania, Ohio. Indiana. and Illi-
nois to raise wages in the West Virginia
coal fields so as to prevent its competi-
ton with the other four States in the
Western market
Leaders Under Indictment.
Those named in the indictments axe:
John P. White, president; Frank J.
Hayes. vice president; Thomas Hag-
gerty, Joseph Vasev, James Cantrell.
Charles Hatley, Marco Roman, George
H. Edmoads. and Benjamin F. Morris,
organizers of the United Mine Work
ers of America; Thomas Cairns, presi-
dent: Clarence c. Griffith. vice presi-
dent; James NJ. Grago, secretary of Dis
trict No. II. United Mine Workers Of
America. and James Diana. John Nut
ter. Rome Mitchell. w. S. Reece, F. D.
Stanley, q. S. Cantley, and A. d. Law
ender. subordinate officers of District
No. l..
The indictments charge that the nine
teen men, affiliated with the United
Mine Workers of America, did in Kama
wha county, W. Va, and within The
jurisdiction of the Federal district
court. engage in a combination and con-
spiracy in restraint of trade and COM
merce in the several States. The Of
fense is said to have started September
], 1912. and continued since.
Competition Alleged Cause.
II is contended in the indictment that
there has been acute competition be-
tween the operators of West Virginia
and the operators Of Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois for the
market in Canada and the Great Lakes
trade. II is charged that the mines in
the competitive States are unionized,
dominated by the United Mine Work
ers, and the coal operators of Pennsyl
vania. Ohio. Indiana, and Illinois have
entered into combination and con-
spiracy with miners union wherein the
alleged conspirators have agreed to
prohibit the coal mined in West Vir-
ginta from entering the lake markets
and Canada"
The alleged conspiracy, it is stated,
mas Itsuilcu IIluCn NlOlcnC6 ana law
lessness at the mines of the West Vir-
gfnia operators on Paint and. Cabin
creeks. Loss of life and destruction of
property necessitated martial Jaw.
Contentious Of Operators.
The coal mine operators of West Vir-
ginia mined and sold in 1910 about sSO,
0oa0OO worth of coal. They employ
about 1000 workers, most of whom
have not been unionized. More than
year ago q strike broke out suddenly
among the mine workers of the Cabin
and Paint Creek districts.
These strikes, the coal operators con-
tend were not strikes BY employees for
better wages or other improvement in
conditions. but were caused by out
siders, and were the result of an eff
fort by the United Mine Workers of
America to ''organize' those districts.
The mine workers allege and say they
are ready to prove that in their greed
for gain the mine owners and opera
tors have violated the peonage laws of
the United States; have interfered with
and obstructed the postal service and
facilities, and have caused to be ar
rested, tried, and convicted, citizens of
the United States in violation of the
Constitution and laws of the United
States.
The opera ators formally charge that the
immigration laws Of the country have
been violated in the West Virginia coal
fields; that the coal fields have been
disseminated against in the adminis-
tration of the immigration laws at ports
of entry, and that firearms. ammuni-
ton, and explosives have been shipped
into the West Virginia coal fields with
the purpose to exclude the products of
the fields from competitive markets in
interstate trade.
These charges a subcommittee of the
Senate Committee on Education and
Labor will investigate here next week
beginning at o'clock Tuesday after
noon.
Governor Hatfield has been trying u
and the workers. He has succeeded IN
having the operators make import ant
concessions. but not in getting them TO
recognize the union
Many Colored Workmen.
There are abou: 1900 mine workers
IN the Cabin and Paint Creek regions.
II is estimated by the operators that
less than 100 OF these belong to the
local unions. Fifty per cent of the mine
workers in West Virginia are native
Americans, 20 per cent colored and 80
per cent foreigners. The latter come
from Southern Italy, Hungary. Greece,
and Sweden
The natives, most OF Who!n are OAR
ing mountaineers. are ready and per
slstent fighters. They have led the
strikers. Some of the Italians. encour-
aged by the reckless mountaineers. havr
been very aggressive and dangerous.
The negroes for the first time. II is
said. in the history of the labor union
movement in this section of the country
have become enthusiastic over the labor
organization. They are supporting hclr
W hIte co-workers.
A commission appointed by former Gov
ernor Glasscock. after looking over the
Cabin Creek and Paint Creek fields. re-
ported:
We consider the guard system as
recently maintained on the two creeks
as vicious and bad. 1t is contrary to
the spirit and genius of our free inst-
tutions There is much evidence tend
ing TO show that some OF the guards
were not even residents Of the State.
II was also found that these guards
Openly, recklessly. and fiagrantly Vlo-
lated. in respect TO the miners on Paint
Creek and Cabin Creek. the rights
guaranteed by natural justice ana the
Constitution to every citizen.
In the face Of this report Governor
olasscock supported the military COM
mission" which he created in its enorts
70 bring order bv casting people in
prison, II is alleged by the miners, with
out Jury trial.