United labor bulletin., 1913-07-26
Complete Victory
In West Virginia
Coal Barons Surrender and
Sign Union Scale
John R. Lawson Tells Bulletin Readers
1t Clears the Way For Aggressive
Action In Southern Colorado


ternational Executive Board of the
United Mine Workers OF America, re
turned to Denver the middle OF this
>week from a meeting at headquarters
in indianapolis. He reports a complete
victory for the union miners in West
Virginia. where full recognition of the
union and a new wage schedule has
been agreed TO by the coal operators
in the Paint Creek. New River and
Cabin Creek districts
Thus has one of the most yaliantly
fought contests In the labor movement
of this country. been won by union
labor. II began eighteen months ago.
many lives were sacrificed. martial
law established. and finally an investi-
CATION of conditions was inaugurated
by the United States Senate, during
which horrible revelations we're made
OF the sufferings undergone by the
men who refused longer to be abject
slaves OF the coal barons
Lawson Tells Of Victory.
In speaking 10 The Bulletin. Wed
nesday, Mr. Lawson said "lt is the
most complete victory won by the
United Mine Workers in many years.
and clarifies the mining. situation il
the East. SO that the national organ
isation may now direct greater atten
tIon to the South and West. particu.
lariy the southern district OF Colora-
do. More than 10000 union miners are
now at work in West Virginia. An
sevidence OF how completely the opera
tors surrendered is shown by the fact
that Quinn Morton the millionaire op-
orator. who conducted the death spe-
cial" armored train through the Paint
+ Creek district to shoot and intimidate
union miners. was one OF the signers
OF tho agreement recognizing the uTA-
ion and granting an advanced wage
scale. The agreement provides in ad-
dstion for inside and outside day wage
scale. check.weighman and eheck-osf
system. At headquarters in lndianap-
z oils. and in all organized mining
amps OF the country. there is much
I ratification at the highly satisfactory
Outcome OF this bitter struggle
White Proves Great Fighter.
President John r. White of the Unit
ed Mine Workers has centered his ac-
tivities In the West Virginia district
since assuming office. and for him II
is n great personal victory. For many
years the Paint Creek district had been
a constant menace to union miners
throughout the East and many
thought II impossible to organize the
miners In that field. so strong a whip
hand did the operators hold. backed
by the state government.
When organizers went there to Sc
cure better conditions for the men
guards were imported. machine guns
were planted on the hillsides to kill
the miners who went on strike and
n condition of civil warfare existed
through the strike zone.
Many Miners Imprisoned.
The military court. which was es-
rGiblished through the efforts OF ex-
Governor Glasscock, imprisoned the
miners In the military bull pen and
sent many OF the striking miners to
the state penitentiary. All of this was
done In direct violation OF the consti-
tuition of West Virginia and the con
stitution of the United States. which
plainly shows that all the forces of
the government at that time were
against the mine workers organiza-
tion and gave all the aid at their com
mand to defeat the strike.
When Governor Hatfield assumed
office settlement of the strike in
West Virginia was made. but the coal
operators refused to abide by the
agreement they had made with the
Miners Union and the strike was re-
sumed and was finally settled by
reaching the agreement which was
signed by President White and the Of
ficers OF the Paint Creek Operators
4 Association on July 15.
This not only means better wages
and humane conditions to the miners
Of West Virginia, but It means the