Evening star., 1921-09-09
BANDHOLTz TO GIVE.
OVER COMMAND OF
MINE zone TROOPS
u. S. Forces in Logan County
Will Be Transferred Early
Withdrawals Planned.
MAI. GEN. READ TO VISIT
THE DISTURBED AREAS
Operators Call on President and
Present Their Side of Bit
fer Controversy.
ter COntTOVerSy.

Brig. Gen. H. H. Bandholtz, COM
manding federal troops in the West
Virginia coal fields, will be relieved of
that command September 12. plans
for his release on that day having
been approved today by the War De-
partment.
In making this announcement. War
Department officials said that troops
now stationed in Logan county soon
would be- transferred to other sec
tions of the area in which disorders $
recently occurred.
The troops withdrawn from Logan
county, Secretary Weeks said, will
take up stations in Boone and ha-
nawha counties.
Gen. Read to Visit Mine Fields.
Maj. Gen. Read, commanding the 5th
Corps Area, with headquarters at Fort
War Department today that he would
visit the West Virginia fields early
next week, after which he would
submit recommendations to the depart
ment as to troop disposition. In addi.
tion to informing the department Of
the plan to withdraw the troops from
Logan county. he said. 1t was proposed
ito provide for troops from Camp Sher-
man and Columbus barracks eventual
Upon completion Of these changes
and not earlier than September 12."
Gen. Read added, 'tGen. Bandholtz will.
stand relieved from duty in this corps
area"
Operators Sec Presideat.
Delegations representing the opera
Hanson fields called on President
Harding and Secretary Weeks today.
leaving with the President memorials
setting forth their position and dis
cussing the disposition of troops with
asked Mr.. Weeks to keep q smaA body
of troops In Boone and Kauawha
counties until the state miiitiR had
been organized. The militia IL now In
process of organization. and the
completed In thirty days. The opera
tors spokesmen said they would agree
to withdrawal of federal foops from
all counties except Boone and Kanawha.
Harding by the operators of the two
Aelds charged that the Unite4 Mine
Workers UntonIAeA "recElltfd 9Agd
armed an army re frcm t.Seo 10 %vp6
aisiss aisa les s Aseis gssss e. Msss .s
ment" in the non-union coal fields.
The Logan operators added that
particips te in conference with repre-
sentatives of the United Mine Work
ers of America"
Logan Memorial Quoted.
IF our field and the adjacent nom
union fields in West Virginia and
eastern Kentucky should be union
would put officials of the United Mine
Workers in control of the production
and distribution of all the coal in the
United States. This would give these
leaders more power over the people of
fhe limited SfafaS haf ho1 h1y
any other organization in the world"
In 1919, the memorial said, the Unit
ed Mine Workers attempted to freeze
the country into submission,"< and
"only the production of coal from
non-union fields prevented complete
success" The non-union fields at pres
ent are running full time, with plenty
of miners willing to work. and are
union mines are closed. the memorial
asserted.
G0mpers' Claims Attacked.
President Gompers of the American
Federation of Labor was accused by
the Williamson operators of "unwar-
ing the non-union fields the last
stronghold of autocracy in West vir-
ginia."
'"The only autocracy now or ever
known in West Virginia" the me-
mortal continued, "is the autccracy
"
to establish. Their whole object is
now and has been since 1912 to Grip
pie all the protecting powers of gov
ernment, SO that their army can
march into the territory of non-union
mines, shoot down the workmen and
destroy the mining plants at will.
This is a part of their plan to pos
sess themselves of all the mining
properties in the United States and
Canada.
Other Abuses Alleged.
Their association has been In open
hostility against all power of govern
mont since 1912. Evey action Of every
court that has sought to prevent their
lawlessness has been openly abused
by leaders, publicists and spokesmen.
Every governor of this state. from
Glasscock to Morgan, regardless OF
their policies, has been resisted, de-
fed, abused and threatened. and law
officers have been murdered from am
Sush."