The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1920-01-01
The Coal Problem.
Dec. 26, 1919.
Mr.. o. E. Hull, Editor,
Leon. Iowa.

IL .
Leon, Iowa.
Due to the fact that numerous
people in this county and state are
and have been unaware OF the exist
ing conditions in the union and non
union, coal fields Of West Virginia
! would like to submit to your t Pal paper nas
we went through in order to keep
our mines working full time.
In the latter part of August we
received word that 5000 armed
union miners from the New River
and Coal River districts, were on
force us to organize in order to stop
entirely the coal supply of two mil
lion tons per months, which we
were shipping to the western states
In order to stop this invasion, the
|! sheriff deputized every available Of
! flee man and miner and on Friday
night about 400 of us marched to
stand. We were there until Sunday
when we received word that the
Governor, in person, had stopped
the invaders when they were within
seven miles of the mountain. He
gave them a stiff talk and they
were persuaded to turn back, there
amount Of bloodshed. Special
trains were ordered to take them
back to their respective homes.
Two months later, fifty armed
union men came into the field in a
special coach, with the intention of
tenting out up one of the hollows
and gradually spread tS the their pro pa
train wound it's way up the hollow,
deputies got. on at various places
and a special train was ordered for
the rest of us. We followed them
to the place where the train turned
for it's return trip and the union
men refused to get off the train and
try to p; organize e; the the, field conse
corted out of the field. When we
returned we noticed guns and cart
ridges were being thrown away by
the would be organizers. A search
ing party went through the coach
and numerous guns and several
off the men. They had been told
that we were killing women and
children and that the miners were
living in very poor houses, but they
stated that the conditions in our
field was a hundred per cent better
than in their fields.
! IL IL Hdu not Deen LOT the loyalty
Of the miners to their companies,
Iowa, would have suffered much
more than they did. For four
it was one continual fight |
in order to keep our mines working
full time. Our nOn-union miners |
were content with the money they !
were making and therefore did not !
want to be unionized, knowing the
Il
union fields as some of them had
worked there.
Union miners would come in the
field and obtain jobs loading coal |
and try to influence the men to
strike. They were always reported |
to the officials of the company by
their loyal men, and were ordered
order. Later man had to have
in order to obtain
any kind of job in the non-union
field. one company, which employ
ed about fifteen thousand men,
with the aid of their foremen, can
yassed their mires and out Of all
were in favor of the union. These
men, of course were watched
l am in position at our mines
20 know where all our coal is ship
bed and before ] left on my vaca-
ion, | noticed that fifteen cars of
our coal had been shipped to Des
Moines and Charlton to be distribut-
lred and twenty-eight different
coal companies in the
logan field, it can readily be seen
hat hundreds and probably thous-
lnds of cars of West Virginia coal
vas distributed among the needy
lere in the middle west.
The allotment of the Logan field
$ fifty thousands tons per day, dur
ng the strike there were days that
he total tonnage produced exceed
d seventy-five thousand tons.
No doubt the above conditions
we're known by a few people, but
ince | have been home | was asked
fhat business was in and when l
tated the same, the party said that
must be one of those profiteers, !
eing out of ,coal in this county. ,
he man has the wrong idea about
he situation for the coal prices :
re set by the Government so there
an not be any profiteering carried 6
In order for anyone to appreciate !
MON fields, they should have been !
here at. the time of the strike. If =
nyone in the field at that time q
as sympathizer they did not let r
be known for it usually was very +
for a person to express :
is sympathies for the union men. !;
I understand there are few +
around in this vicinity 4
no have expressed some of their q
Jews and would not believe that we :
ere working all the time during1 +
lie strike.
In West Virginia we think of :,
the same as General =
ershing would think of the lowent a
rade Of Stacker.
Certainly any man should know y
lat if the union miners got what
ley were fighting for, the coal n
rices would soar out of sight and
lie food prices which they are try n
lg to get down, would have to 60 = =
igher and would probably stay !,
lere for some time. People of q
leans are not bothered by these :.
lings, but it is the lower class of =
eoDle who are suffering. II
Tell West Virginia coal operator
r miner that you are sympath :
er, and some one gets licked.
Yours Very Truly. +
q. E. Riley. a