The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1914-04-10
West Virginia Supreme Court
Establishes TyrannicdI Desp0tisnl
GIVES GOVERNOR RIGHT TO SUPPRESS NEWSPAPERS,
AND CLOTHES HIM WITH ALL THE POWERS OF
AN ABSOLUTE MONARCH.
Huntington, ". Va, april l0, 1913

huntingdon w.
ociast Comrades Other of Faipay Everywhee
the night Of May TO- 1913 during the famous strike Of the
West Virginia coal miners and under the reign Of Martial Law
Governor II. D. Hatfield troop of mltianen from the
strike zone to this city, which 80 miles of the
with Instructions to suppress The Labor Star and
smash up its printing plant charging that gving aid
and comfort to the enemies of the staethe striking coal
miners.
The soldiers carried out their orders with vengeance They
entered plant between and o'clock night smashed up
the machinery and material that too heavy to carry off, and
stole and carried away the movable propernone of which has
ever been recovered After destroying the plant they red the
homes of five of comrades tore them away from their fam
lilies and took prisoners Of into the martial law
Alter the United States had INTERVIEWED in West
Virginia and partially restored constitutional ent
tered the Circuit Court OF Cabeco against Hatfield and
the soldiers who carried out his malicious orders so faithfully
in effort to recover the price OF onr DESTROYED plant when
had the comrades OF this city of toll and sacrifice
For months attorneys for the defendants succeeded in
preventing the from coming trial by the of every known
legal echnicaity Finally however, the set for trial
FEBRUARY TO- 1914 the last frantic efforts Of the defendants
for further delay.
Knowing well that if the case ever got jury American
citizens would verdict the attorneys for the
appealed the Infamous supreme court OF the state
for writ Of prohibition torddns the court mere to go aheaa
in all the history of American jurisprudence temporary writ
was M we n ase to 5pDa Seore be- e
court the 9th day of February and show cause
oston our attorney prepared logical and uanswerabe argu
to why the writ should he dissolved and we submitted 1t
on the date named.
decision making the permanent and declaring that no act
o1 governor is evewabe by the courts of the state This
decision allowed stand places absolute autocratc
the hands of the of West Virginia possessed
Dy any King Emperor earth.
According the this state could
der any citizen any burn or appropriate any home
destroy private property and could not be brought
before any for his 1t is the Old doctrine
the divine right of rulers in its most malicious form
@ be Es pnsound T prnpe Established by this deon
permits deal with private rights and private proper
as he f Rason and ana auo
condemn it, and the administration OF evenhanded justice ces
e barleson Gazette eaconalv caitalistic newspaper
discussing opinion under the heading dangerous Decision
after conennng previous military law decisions by this sae
court saws Now another decision holding that the cou
cannot inquire the actions ct the is broad
then power than King Of Fasn :hc
our idea ef this government
(1nrlades this precedent must be allowed to &:an.
If allowed stand uncalenged will be use by the capt.
tast every future labor struggle in this coun AGING
this authority the Of state will call out the militia
the very ncpency of strike that may ase-supprss
every that dareS print the strikers SIDE OF the dispute
mprson without warrant execute, every active striker and
sypahizer and crush the workers by sheer brute force
This action be reviewed by the court OF the
United States-and that means Money.
We of this small 9ea nave @ borne M hSa a ae snare 4 o
replace destroyed panaer suffering the almost total loss
the original plant which had Just succeeded in clearing
debt all workingmen and workngwomennot capital
M OF cockroach parasite BY this decision we have
been hurdened with the enormous costs IN this SUIT
Yet the case MUST 60 the supreme court OF this nation
This too much to the working class OF America
This article is for purpose giving YOU opportunity to
bear share the financial burden involved IN appealing the
liberty in America will be willing assist in this work and We
hereby call upon who possibly do so contribute
even but mite to legal fund Bring the matter to the
socialist and labor union locals and ask that they
assist in this fight which much to the working class as
Whole All remittances will be promptly receipted for and
statement of published The Labor Star copies of which
vii! be sent to each contributor
knowing that depend upon the rank and file of the
workers in this going ahead with the preparations
for the appeal -.
Send all contributions and make all remttances payable TO-
LOCAL HUNTINGTON SOCIALIST PARTY,
A. E. WHITE Secretary
1s16 Ninth Avenna HUNTINGTON " y