The sun., 1919-11-05
PUBLIC SUPPORT
SOUGHT BY MEN
:ANDOPERATORS
Battle of Propaganda Be-
gins Between Factions in
West Virginia Fields.
HALF OF MINES WORKING
Strikers Buy Silk Stockings
and Photographs While
Leader Pleads Poverty.
By a s,or corespondent. 3 ! Of Tnr Sun.


CHARLESTON, w. va, Nov. 4.-The
coal strike in West Virginia is in its
second phase. 1t is now a battle Of
propaganda, open letters, typewriter
-statments," resolutions and appeals,
mostly polite. Half the mines are
closed, half are working. just as they
have been since Saturday and accord
ing to. whether they are unionized or
not. -
On the miners side. to-day's head
line In the war of words was an appeal
sent to President Wilson by G. r.
Keeney, president of the United Mine
Workers for district IL, which includes
a larger part of the State. Kenney
gave figures Of wages, production.
price of coal and living cost designed
to prove that the West Virginia miners
were underpaId He emphasized the
matter of wages and did not mention
the thirty hour week demanded by the
national organization, Of which the
men here are members. :.
His letter TO the President ended:
"But as God reigns we will not see our
employers revel in wealth. even though
they blind the public (Which Is not plnd
to the number of wealthy coal men VINO
have appeared during the wary and face
the dreadful ordeal of winter In the
mines without Just compensation SUI
reient to afford our families decent
living"
Operators Pledge Aid.
Meanwhile ths operators of the
Kanawha field, which has q normal
psoduction Of 10000 tons a day, met in
charleston and adopted resolutions the
est OF which is:
1.-THE great majority of the miners did
n5pt want to strike: that autocradc
ride under one guise is as bad as under
another, and finally
4 t''we pledge to the President of the
United States, the Governor of West
Virginia and other constituted author
ffies, Federal and State, our loyal and
unqualified support, and place at their
disposal ourselves and our property, IT
tie hope that such use may be made OF
ohr services and our mines as may seem
best in this crisis to the representatives
OF the State and Federal Governments
charged with the protection of the public
Interest"
And meanwhile the striking miners
Instead of training their squirrel guns or
United States troops or miners who de-
c1ined TO strike. as some persons ex-
pected them to do are devoting their
vacation to shooting 'possums. coons
ahd the vagrant deer. The women folks
With less cooking to do than usual, are
fihding time for seasonal recreation.
Luxury in Cabins.
Up at Coalburg, on Cabin Creek, the
storekeeper reported to-day that among
tie ninety women of the town 116 pair
OF silk stockings were bought last month
'-Shoehy" Hazleton's wife, Hetty, hal
bbught a $3.50 talking machine, which
rtther crowds the family cabin. She
also has batch of high priced records
Including three made by famous so
pfano.
'T do like that Galli-Curci; thini
she sings right pretty" Mrs. Hazletor
cpnfided while her prize record wal
Whirring
isMammy" Burgaff. wife and mother
or miners-one of her sons cuts 25'
TINS OF coal a day when not striking
Net the visitor in calico gown and {
sbalskin stole over her shoulders. Sh'
and others reported that an agent fo
Washing machines appealing because ;
rAonstrous rising sun was painted OF
the sides, did right smart business II
Cabin Creek last spring. but that tn
majority OF the women OF the COM
Runity soon reverted. with unconceaie'
relief. to the good old family wash am
hhth tub for laundry purposes.
These are random prosperity note
ffom one mining settlement. Viewing
the entire landscape, strike leade
Heeney pictures the typical miner in hi
letter to the President as follows:
HE finds himself constantly fsllin
behind. unable to pay mis- bills and a
the same time has less to eat. and oh
serves his wife and children lookin
shabby and poorly clad when compare
With the former days when he was onl
averaging s75 a month or less"
For Wilson'S Informa tiOn.
Keeney tells President Wilson that tn
facts he presents ARE presented 70
ybur information in view of the attemp
70 compel the miners to return to wor
B n p 1 ~