The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-07-08
CAN WATSON FOOL LABOR?


CAN WATSON FOOL LABOR?
For more than twenty years. tlar'
renee W. Watson has completely dom
linated the coal region OF northern
West Virginia His control could not
thave been more arbitrary during that
iperiod il he had been the owner OF
levery nine in the district The com
fpenfes controlled by him have owned
hand operated the majority OF the
mines. During all Of that time ne has
kbeen the relentless foe OF organized
labor: he has employed every means
HnoWn to the enemies OF organization
hin order to prevent union labor from
iobtainins a foothold in the district II
tyou would learn the full extent OF the
Watson opposition 10 oreanized labor
land Of the sinister means that ne has
rused to fight it. you have but 10 IN
tquire Of the servants OF union laoor
who during those years. hare had
lthetr heads battered and bones crushed
fby the hirelingS Of the Fairmont Coal
Accompany and The Consolidation t"a!
Accompany. Watson companies. CON
strolled and dominated completely BY
Senator watson. He has ~ all ines
.refused TO meet. consult with. or hear
the grievances Of labor unions or labor
,unions' servants II" has maf aiik''
their arguments and their appeals with
1.-THE Watson weapon. rhe bludseon.
The leopard cannot change his spots.
yRrd, despite The quite recent perform
tances, we do not believe that Senator
WATSON is personally any more friendly
sto union labor than he has been IN all
sthese years during which mis- agents
.and employees have cudselcd !, into
esilence. But the desire 20 U.s. the or
tSaptzed laborer not for mis-. but :nr The
Watson advantage, has led the senator
ITO conceal for the time being his itu-
,placable hatred of labor organizations
and the labor organizer. Indeed. TIM
latter may now walk The S'rc"tS ri
,Fairmont in personal safety and visit
the Watson coal mines without fear
rot personal violence. All this has
fbeen bro1gh; about BY the political am
kbition Of Senator Watson. He has
sconeeuted to the unionization ot the
,miners employed b. his companies.
POSSIBLY his political ambitions would
mot have elected this consent if he had
mot recognized the fact thar the tim:
lhad come when no could no longer pre-
went the organization Of the laborer:;
iof the Fairmont region. Conditions
Ehad arisen und.c which the organiZa-
,tion of the miners could no logger b.,
lprevented and the Mine Workers o;
America had definitely determined "a
organize this. district. Recognizing
nhe inevitable ihe shr"wd FaiCmont
,Senator determined to turn i, 10 his
yo~n account and 10 obtain a poh;ic
advantage from 4 consent which h.
ycouh not withhold. True 10 ihn last
TO his natural ipstinct of n:acoGiSm
ITO organized labor, he sough: 20 fool
1.-THE miners by imposing upon them a
,certain plan or form OF organization
(which would have left them wholly 4;
his mercy and would probably hay'
been worse than no organization IT all
III, In the face OF these facts and il
the light OF twenty years Of "Xprricnc"
WATSON can fool the miners Of ,ht
.Fairmont region or organized labo!
anywhere into supporting his pnltica
ambitions, then the way to gain iii:
favor OF organized labor and to inSur'
tits support and confidence. is not Il
ttreat it fairly and deal with the unit:
,and organizations as. Men posSessin:
shuman rights, but it IS 10 trampl,
upon il and them. and 10 baa, then
Unto the ground with every means an,
weapon known to the sinister combi
nation OF dollars and greed