New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-03
W eeks Holds
1000 Troops
In Reserve
N s-~s~~~,->s,--~,~-------------
(confInued from paga one)

disturbers of the peace, and that local
business and industry will be encour-
aged to continue. Exception to this
general policy, it was said, would only
be occasioned by prolonged and viru--
lent disorders, which could be stamped
out only by military operations. 1t
this should happen, 1T might be neces-
sary to remove even peaceable resident
from territory where troop movements
and encounters with armed force were
probable.
A report received at the War Depart
ment tonight from Brigadier General
Bandholtz in West Virginia said:
"Airplane reconnaissance upon return
reported everything quiet throughout
the disturbed area during reconris-
sance. Other reports indicate that
there was ut least the usual amount Of
fighting during the day"
Even should prisoners be taken in
large numbers by the military organi
only be detained until the civil authori-
ties were capable Of taking them over
for punishment or further detention,
under the civil law.
General Bandholtz's message, sent
shortly after midnight last night, in
which the troop movement was ordered,
was given out by the War Department
as follows:
investigators returned about 1880
tonight. The invaders have not obeyed
Presidents proclamation, and there is
no apparent intention to do SO. 1t is
therefore recommended that the troops
now held in readiness be sent to West
Virginia without delay"
An earlier communication from Gem
eral Bandholtz said:
at is believed that the withdrawal
of the invaders as promised by Keeney
and Mooney (respectively president and
vice president Of the district miners
union) would have been satisfactorily
accomplished but for the tardy sending
of trains and particularly but for the
ill-advised and ill-timed advance move
ment Of state constabulary on the night
of August 81, resulting in bloodshed."
President Harding should summon
operators and miners in West Vir-
ginia to a conference as the best means
of restoring order, James Lord, presi
dent Of the mining department of the
American Federation Of Labor, said to-
day.
81 am convinced" he added, "that If
President Harding would request the
mine owners and the miners to con-
fer, the parties so invited would con-
slider the summons equal to an order
and would come together.
"Once q conference was opened, it
would not be closed without progress
toward agreement or without abate-
ment of some of the most grievous
evils that have driven men desperate in
Mingo. Operators Of Mingo to-day are
in the position of defying a government
order. They have refused to apply
the United States Coal Commission
award of 1920, and that refusal is the
cause of the strike out of which the
present deplorable situation grew.
"The government had a duty to per-
form in view of the attitude of the
operators toward the Federal award.
"An impartial investigation by the
government is timely. The situation
is one of common concern to the whole
country. The district can be pacified
on the surface, but it can never be
brought into true cooperation and good
citizenship as harmonious part of
the state and country until justice is
done on the basis Of finding of fact.
president Harding las an oppor-
tunity to perform constructive, help
full and just service by bringing to-
gether the opposing forces in West
Virginia"