The Cordova daily times., 1921-10-07
HUMAN BLOOD DYES RIDGE IN
 CRUCIAL WAR
CBy International News Service,

ginia mining war which has again ne cessitated federal intervention, is, iu the last analysis, an Armageddon be- tween organized capital and organized labor. Upon It's ultimate outcome, which seems far off-for the present government intervention Can only en- force an armistice but cannot end the war-hinges, primarily, the issue of the open shop
 The struggle between the coal oper- ators on the one side and the United Mine Workers of America on the other revolves around the non-union coal fields in the southern part of the state, adjacent to the border of Kentucky and West Virginia.
 There are altogether 920O0 miners in West Virginia. Approximately two. thirds of this total are union men. There are altogether some 10000 min CTS in the southern part of the state, of whom l5,OOO are union miners in Mingo county. The northern part is almost solidly organized by the union. ACID TEST OF THE OPEN SHOP
 But between Mingo and the north lies the crucial coal district--the Guy. ian Valley, in Logan county. This is the richest black diamond" field in the country and one of the richest in the world. Together with various un- organized districts to the south it pro duces enough coal to supply the whole of the United States in an emergency. From these mines is derived the finest garde of bituminOus coal to be found anywhere on the face of the globe. They hold the key to the country's coal industry. Consequently they form the crux of the titanic capitalization struggle which once again has come to a bloody climax.
 These mines are unorganized. With them stands or falls the open shop Logan county is the bulwark of the coal operators in their determined last stand against unionism. To get these mines organized is the all-overshadow. ing aim of the United Mine Workers of America To bring these non-union miners - numbering between 15,0OO and 10000 men-into the field of the most powerful branch body of the American Federation of Labor is the dream of more than half a million union miners in all parts of the coun. try,
 The coal operators, on the other hand. are not one whit less determined to fight this unionizing effort to the bitter end
 The whole History of the unioni2ing of the West Virginia coal fields is written in the crimson of human blood The organization of most of the l fields was accompanied only after the miners moved on them on masse, Nine years ago they swept down upon the Paint and Cabin creek mines, in Ka- nawha county. unloosnE civl war that cost Goo lives
 | In 1919. in the midst of the war. the great national coal strike was wrecked | against the rock of non-unionsm in the south of West Virginia. notably ! the Logan mines as well as the unor- I ganized Mingo fields. which kept sup plying the nation with steady streams Of Ihe vital black diamonds" when the coal fields of the rest of the coun try were shut practically drum-tight. LOGAN IS IRRITABLE ARSENAL
 That crisis acccntuated the lesson t. both sides that is these regions lay the battlefield of Armageddon. Since then both the operators and the min CTS have prepared feverishly for the supreme contest Gigantic sums of money. untold quantities of arms and 1 IegOus of men of death.defying valor and iron will are al the disposal of each side.
 The operators. unequivocaly deny ing the right to organize on the part of the United Mine Workers of Ameri' ca. employ a veritable army of mine guards known as the Baldwin Felts detectives, to prevent by force any and all attempts to organize Allied with these private detectives is prt- vate army maintained by the oper- ators in Logan county, under the ''su- preme command" of Sheriff Don Chain - Gentleman" Chain, as they cali him, for his fame as handler Of guns is enhanced by his being col ioor. ,..nn- nh 4nr ihn n, tnnancn nf