Bisbee daily review., 1921-09-03
The Miners Contentious

The Miners Contentious
CHAhLEorUN, w. Va, Sept. a.
(by the Associated Press)- Philip
murray, International vice president
"a tiie united Mine workers OF Amer
lea, tonight gave out the following
lormai statement IN West Virginia as
representing the views or the unions:
After making a survey OF the en-
tire SITUATION Ill the disturbed sec
tons or west Virginia, am forced to
cOncluue That there is but one solu-
ton 10 the Whole question, that is,
complete abolition or the mine guard
anu baidwIn-telts system now in gen.
eral use throughout the non-unIon
Cvai lninIng Ileius OF this state.
Despite any statement that might
be maue TO the cltlzenry by the gov
e.nor VI west Virginia, evidences of
the brutality Of the nine guards and
baldwln-t eiIs agencies can be found
IN the non-union territories of the
state. My personal judgment is that
the presence of federal troops in the
disturbed sections will result in i'm
mediate quiet being restored The
men engaged in the present conflict
against the governors misuse OF pow
er welcome with open arms the COM
ing OF federal troops. They believe
that their presence will at least as
sure them, their wives and families,
protection from assassination at the
hands of this armed band of despera-
does.
R.ames Detectives
1T is not generally understood, but
1t Is nevertheless true, that on Aug
ust 70, these scnitizens engaged IN
the present uprising against the Bald
" mr. elts and mine guards entered
into an agreement with General Band
holtz and President Keeney TO dis
perse peaseably and return to their
homes, with the distinct understand
ing that their lives would be protect
Gu whilst following out the terms of
the agreement.
The miners, in good faith, did dis
perse and did return to their homes,
put not quite "a hours later an armed
band or men, consisting of members
OF the state constabulary and. depu-
ties from Logan county, crept into
the town of Sharples in the dead of
night when the men, women and chill
dren Of the community were in their
beds, and when those armed thugs
had completed their nights WORK,
they had killed two members of the
United Mine Workers of America, and
injured another two. They stealthily
crept back to where they came from,
and despite the fact that the respon-
siDility for the commission of this
sort of reprehensible crime was
directly to the state, yet up
until today, as far as / know, the gov
ernor OF the state of West Virginia
has not even interested himself in
this most deliberate killing, which il
is alleged members of his own state
committed on August
81.
The feelings of the citizenry of
the entire taste of West Virginia were
completely outraged as a result of
the crime, which was committed in
Sharples and resulted in a complete
of not only the forces
which had returned to their homes.
but in addition there came hundreds
OF citizens from practically every
county In the state to joint in fight
Tor the abolition of this most terrible
system which is permitted to be prac-
uced by the state authorities.
Governor Assaulted
The responsibility for the present
sad state of affairs in West Virginia
must of necessity rest upon the gov
ernor He has been Scaling for re-
cruits for the past number of weeks
to assist him in suppressing this al
legged lawlessness, but up to date, he
has not been able to muster a suffi-
cient number of citizens to make I'D a
corporais guard to go out and defend
his policies.
Federal troops are now on their
way into the state The citizens of
x1-hA
ing front today defending their liber-
ties against the onslaughts of men
who are seeking to take them away
from them, will undoubtedly respect
the federal troops and the mandate of
out federal government Their COM
ing Will bring about peace in the
disturbed area and that peace will
continue to be here so long as federal
over the affected sections
remain in effect.
But what is going to be done about
the source of all this evil? Who is
there In authority within the confines
OF this great commonwealth willing
TO stand up like great big broad
minded American citizen and seek to
eradicate for all time the sources OF
these great industrial conflicts?
Let us hope when this situation
passes over and federal Jurisdiction
mas been removed from West Virginia
that Governor Morgan will meet this
situation by saying to the Felts agen-
cy anu the non'union coal operators
OF this state: You must keen your
Bald' m, elts spies, gunner and no
torloL- guards out of the state
"Sucn an ultimatum, served by him
upon these people. will have a Ear
reaching effect in restoring that meas
ure of industrial tranquility which
the United Mine Workers of America
beieve the. citizens of West Virginia
are entitled to receive"