The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1920-12-10
W. VA. IS UNDER
MILITARY CONTROL
MiNGOr COUNTY SEAT OF TROU-
BILE OF STRIKING COAL
MINERS.
Colonel Herman Hall Issues Proclama-
ton in Which He Forbade Assembly
Except Meetings Called in Regularly
Organized Churches.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Williamson, w. Va.-Mingo County,
where a strike of miners has been in
progress since last July, was declared
by Governor John J. Cornwell to be
under military control. Colonel Her
man Hall, commanding the provisional
battalion of Federal troops, which ar
rived from Camp Sherman at ChillicO-
the, O., issued a proclamation in which
he forbade assembly, except meetings
as might be called in regularly organ
lied churches. Colonel Halls prOcla-
nation also prohibits parades and de-
monstratiOnS against the authorities,
and stipulated that no persons, other
than officers of the law and the mill
tary, would be permitted to carry fire.
arms or be in possession of explosives.
All places of business, shops and the
alters were permitted to remain open,
it was stipulated, but the public gener-
ally was admonished to comply with
the military regulations and to pre-
serve good order.
Governor COrnwells proclamation
stated that Mingo County was in
state of Instruction, and its citizens
were enjoined and commanded to dis
perse and retire to their homes and
submit to the law and the regularly
constituted authorities. "TO the end
that the law shall be respected and
that disorder shall cease, have called
upon the Government of the United
States for assistance, and until fur
Their notice the county of NIingo will
be under direct charge of the COM
handing General of the Fifth Army
Corps area, who has full power and au-
thOrity to establish peace and order
in said county by such means as he
may deem to be in the interest of good
government and the laws Of the land"
the Governors proclamation read.
The military authorities have taken
over the duties imposed upon them
under the declaration of martial law,
but the civil authorities continue in
their capacities as advisory bodies
and individuals, it is understood. The
troops have been distributed through
out the district, to guard the mines at
strategic points, with Colonel Halls
Headquarters in the courthouse at
Williamson. The failure of county au-
thorities to meet promptly the disOr-
ders of the past few weeks, was eN-
planned by Judge r. D. Bailey, of the
Circuit Court of MingO and Wyoming
counties, as being due to lack of money
with which to pay a sufficient force OF
Deputy Sherffs. When the budget for
the year was made up the usual
amount of $4,000 was set aside for
this purpose. AS there were no emer-
gency funds, no extra Deputies could
be employed, and many former service
men, called for that duty, were unable
to serve without pay. Conflicting stor-
les concerning the status of the strike
were prevalent throughout AlingO
county Coal operators estimated that
of the 5000 miners in the county the
strikers numbered between 1000 and
1000, and that production had been
increased from 5000 tons in July,
when the strike was called, to 10000
tons Tor the ufSt nail OIL ONelHOer'
David Fowler, representing the inter-
national organization of the United
Mine Workers, emphatically denied
that the strike had been broken, de-
claring: 1--WE have just begun to fight"
The tent colonies established by the
United Mine Workers of America for
striking miners and their families still
are filed. Estimates as to the num-
Der of persons residing in tents, how
ever, differ widely, the mine workers
asserting that several hundred more
are involved than are included in the
estimate of the operators. According
to Mr. Fowler, the living conditions in
these tent colonies are to be improved
soon. and lumber has been ordered
oh, tn