The Washington herald., 1921-09-04

u
Saturday night when Eve miners were killed and one
reported wounded in a mountain battle along Beech
Creek north Of Logan. between dozen State troops
and miners patrol
Early Friday morning Gen. Bandholtz reported
officially that the miners not inclined to dsperse
and that troops would be needed to maintain order.
Two regiments thereupon sent from Camp Dix
and one from Camp Sherman. The latter
pected reach the Of the trouble before
on Friday and the Camp Dix men were due to arrive
Friday evening.
The district Is Overwhelmingly American of the
old-fashioned stock and strongly non-union. Also
they handy with long squirrel rifles. and possess
. high order of courage. -,
Mingo one Of the most important of the
ganized fields In West Virginia became the center of
the controversy between union officials and operators
early last year. On May ~ last year, the operators
in their attempt keep the field unorganized served
eviction notices on number of union miners who
lived in the company houses at Matewan. The notices
served by BaldwinFelts detectives employed by
operators throughout the unorganized fields. 49,.
The eviction was followed by street battle in
Matewan, in which eleven were killed. Sid Hat
field was charged with completely in the shooting.
On the heels Of this street fight the union men de-
clared strike The walk-out general throughout
the border county and spread to number Of opera
tions across the Tug River in Kentucky.
For almost year there was intermittent warfare
between guards and strikers, but the operators grad
uaily filed the mines with non-union men, The union
men lived in tent colonies along the river which
maintained by the union
Shipping parties made night raids on both sides Of
the river and number of power houses coal tipples
and other company property were destroyed Martial
law was declared and battalion Of Federal troops
hurried the scene of action in the latter part of
November. The trouble quieted down for time with
-. e.:
and conference between union officials and operators
was planned
Gen Bandholtz, u. S. A. was sent down last
week to make report on the situation following tele-
grams from the governor Of West Virginia to Presi-
dent Harding. For the second time in two months
the government indirectly rebuked Governor E. F.
Morgan for alleged failure exhaust all at
his command and suppress awlessness in his State
before calling for Federal aid. In report made
public by the War Department the statement was made
that .As result Of his investigation Gen. Bandholtz
Is of the opinion that the State has made only feeble
effort to check the growth Of the insngent movement
or to keep in touch with its progress"
The governor had asked that Federal troops with
machine guns, light field pieces and gas attacking
apparatus be dispatched Meantime effort had been
made to organize the citizens of the State into some
sembiance of constabulary force. The citizens of
Logan were prepared to gather armed with rifles and
shotguns. at the call of siren. Word had early
in the week of the gathering of miners between 1900
and 1000 strong, Sharpess, about FIVE miles north
Of Logan. Rugged mountains lie between the towns
and make scouting difficult At the time the
mountain may have prevented armed clash by
of the difficulty presented the march of any
large force. Logan County folk determined that
no armed miners should cross the top. Armed men
thronged the streets of the town and automobiles
were in readiness to transport numbers to threat
ened spot wherera passage might be attempted.
Meantime, the mines in the valley have been kept
In operation and the operators boasted that the week
would make record for coal loading The operators
are extremely proud Of the fact that these mines have
never closed and that labor troubles have not caused
an interruption in the workings for seventeen