The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-06-11
Coal Barons' Private Gun,nen Rule
West Va. Coal Counties

several thousand miners that they
armed themselves and set out openly
to INVADE Logan county and enforce
the Constitution Of the United States
"Civil war was iminent, and the gov
ernor perceived that he had tolerated
wrongs and injustice for too long a
period. He and @. r. Keensey, president
of Dist. No. II, u! NJ. W. of A. inter.
ecpted the enraged miners as they
nesred Logan, and begged them to
lay down their arms and return to their
homes. The governor promised q
thorough investigation and speedy
righting of wrongs.
"To 60 into details of this invcsti-
CATION would be fruitless, at this
this moment; suffice it to say that
admissions of all these charges were
frankly made, and on December 20,
1919, placed in the governors hands.
He has never even taken the trouble
to read it'll 1t lies in his desk-900, 900
words, containing sufficient evidence
to cause his impeachment for tolerat-
ing so vicious system. Yet murders
60 on unchecked, and the vicious
private army remains unhampered.
"Only a few days ago, while the
governor toured the country, telling
citizens how to enforce law and order,
twelve men were killed and others
wounded in Matewan, Mingo county,
Among those killed was the mayor of
Matewan, who. attempted to enforce
the laws of the city, state and nation.
These deaths are the result Of the
system tolerated by the governor.
"The attention of the attorney gen
eral, to the conditions existing in
Matewan which resulted in the whole
sale murder, was called before the
battle took place. He took no steps to
stop these conditions, and since then
has again refused TO interfere, stating
that it was matter for the state
officials to cope with. Technically he
is correct; but thousands of citizens
are now confronted with the following
situation:
"The Constitution of the United
States, laws-state and national-are
ignored and openly violated by private
armies in the pay of coal operators.
The governor either cannot or will
not enforce the constitution, state and
national laws. All appeals to him have
been made in vain.
"On the other hand, the Federal
Government states that, technically, it
is unable to interfere.
"Surely there are exigencies which
Of pure technicalities. When bloodshed
arise which call -fs< the overlooking
is imminent, when there is no recourse
but the president and the Federal
Government for tie righting of wrongs
and the reestablishment of the rights
of citizens, there must be redress given
by the president or the Federal Govern.
mont to thousands Of citizens of .
great state.
con behalf of all the organized
miners Of West Virginia, the West
Virginia State Federation of Labor,
and the American Civil Liberties
Union, I have been requested to secure
n plain answer to the question whether
the rights guaranteed by the constitu.
tion of the United States apply to the
citizens of West Virginia. If they do,
why are they not enforcedi
"I earnestly appeal to you to end
the reign of terror in the southern coun.
ties of West Virginia, and ie.establish
the Constitution of the United States
in that region; that thousands of
American citizens may be permitted
to live i'll peace and tranquility.
"Respectfully,
JOHN L. SPIyAK
Representing;