New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-02
Disorders Only a Phase
OF Three-Year-OId War
Miners Unions Haze Tried
Long to Organize Coal Fields,
but Operators Block Then,
Special Dispatch to Tke Tribune


CHARLESTON, w. Va, Sept l.
The present disorders in West Vir-
GINA are only a new phase of three
year-old war that has attended the eff
forts of the miners union to organize
the coal fields of Mingo. Logan, Boone
and some other southwest counties.
These attempts have been blocked by
the operators and their hired police.
The United Mine Workers expert
enced difficulty in forming the local
union at Blair, but strong organiza-
ton was perfected. The organizers,
sent from district headquarters at
Charleston, continued westward. All
their efforts met with defeat. They
we're continuously driven back across
the Boone County line, and those who
approached from Huntington were not
permitted to alight from the train.
On one expedition 100 organizers were
forced by deputy sheriffs to remain
on the branch line train all day with
out food.
Many organizers caught in attempts
10 hold meetings to organize were
beaten into insensibility. Others were
shot and left as dead. More than one
organizer, SCARED and limping, was
brought into the Office of Governor
John j. Cornwell by union officials, as
mute evidence of conditions.
These facts arc contained in an Of
fetal report by an investigating com
mittee appointed by Governor Cornwell
during the last year of his administers
ton. The committee reported that the
system Of deputy sheriffs was main
tanned and paid by coal operators, put
responsibility for conditions was placed
on the United Mine Workers.
The mine workers temporarily sus-
pended activities until the fall Of 1919.
A nationwide strike of coal miners
was called and the miners Of the Kama
who field joined in the walk-out.
Meanwhile the mines in Logan, Nc
Dowell and Mingo counties continued
working. This enraged the workers of
this field and an armed march was
undertaken. AS soon as the march be-
gan Governor Cornwell sent C. +. Ken
ney, district president, to Madison and
warned them to turn back. He told
them Federal troops would be called
without delay. His warning was
needed and the men turned back.
The United Mine Workers, seeing
the futility Of their efforts to organize
Logan County. changed sheir tactics,
District officials made plans to organ
LOG hiiko touHIY on the south and
work northward in.o Logan County.
Organizers were sent into Minro
County to carry these plans into e.
feet. A few local unions were Or
gained at Matewan, Sprigg Border.
land, Stone Mountain and other points
The coal operators opposed the union
and when they saw progress was be-
ing made they began discharging the
unionists and cvicting them from tho
company-owned homes. This led to
the Matewan battle in May of last
year Several families were cvicted
at Matewan by Baldwin-Felts detec.
tives, and as the latter were prepar.
ing TO board traiu for Bluefield ten
of them were killed.
The industrial conflict continues
there. Battles and outbreaks have oc-
Cured intermittenly and Mingo County
is now under martial law proclaimed
by Governor Morgan.
Numbers OF prisoners were taken
undcr martial law and confined in
Mingo iails. Thirty-six of them ap-
pea!ed to the Supreme Court for writs
OF habeas corpus, and these were dc
med. II was then that miners began
assembling an army to march to Mingo
County to bring an end to martial law
and stop in Logan County while en-
route and organize the mines there.
The march was started week ago and
state authorities were unable to stop il.