The Mena weekly star., 1921-09-15
Bloody Orgy of Hate Quiescent In Coal Fields
 For Period of Armed Truce
West Virginia neCy While U Lessend by Federal nervention-Presen Trigger Pregnant With Fl uture Strife.

Obviously the most important of these points are numbers and s. It ali resolves itself to this:
 The coal operators will fight tooth and nail to prevent the balance of their power slipping from them into the hands of the union, and the union will fight with equal determination to complete it's conquering circle by unionizing the district that holds the key to Americas coal industry.
 The operators charge of force and violence" is met by the miners coun- ter-charge that the owners make it utterly impossible to carry on peace ful union agitation, which they claim as an inalienable right, recognized by the courts and embodied by that powerful American labor body, the Federation of Labor. The miners aver that there isn't a chance of even a whispered word for the union reach ing the "open shop" workers as long as the latter are surrounded by an army of armed guards.
 'The Barrier" Impregnable.
 Upon those armed guards is cen tered the full flame of bitterness and hatred of the union men. They are rThe Barrier" which they know they must level before they can even talk union" Hence the recently oft-re- peated plea that the Baldwin, Felts Detective Agency be deprived of it's charter and that Don Chains army of deputy sheriffs-anyone who wish- es to help can be sworn in as a depu- ty sheriff backed up by the bitterly anti-union State Constabulary, be de- mobilized.
 Written in large crimson letters in the background of the warfare stands the ominous word, "Eviction!" It was that which lead directly to the Battle of Matewan, of May 19, 1920, which in turn caused the indictment of two dozen men on murder charges setting the stage for the Trigger Trials" the second of which is now under way in the little Mingo court house at Williamson, w. Va.
 Briefly, this is what happened:
 Miners lost their jobs because they had joined the union and were agitat- ing for the union. Now the coal op- orators furnish lodging to the miners in comfortable little block houses called company houses" A condi- tion exists there that dates back to the pioneer days and may be summed up under the ancient term of master and servant" agreement.
 The operators argue that when a miner is thru" working for them. then, from that moment on he has no longer the right to live in a company house." They compare his status to that of maid or chauffeur or butler; once these servants quit or are discharged they have to "get out. ]"
 In the majority of cases that has been understood by both sides, and miners, after being "thrd," have peacefully moved out. In other cases the courts were appealed to, and the result iri the end was the same. The trouble began when Baldwin Felts de- tectives undertook to evict tardy ex- miners by force.
 To quote from the coal operators brief:
 Mine houses are as much incident to the business of mining coal as are EPples, or as are desks in an office The courts so held Occupancy of the house by the miner is mere in- cident to his employment, and his Tlgnt to sucn occupancy ends when ms employment ceases. Under this law the mine owner has the right to evict any miner wrongfully retaining the occupancy of the house after his employment has ceased, provided such eviction can be made without breach of the peace"
 Orgy of Hate.
 On the fateful day of the Matewan Battle Albert and Lee Feits. with a party of fellow-detectives evicted a number of union miners nearby. Fx- citement ran high. The whole popula- ton of the little mining town was in- censed. All the long pent-up hatred against the detectives rushed to tbs fore. Ugly stories made the rounds of. alleged brutality displayed by the evietng detectives, especially against women and children. There was dis pute over their legal right to evict. Alter the evictions tbe detectives had 70 go to Matewan to catch train. mere they were met by Sid Hatfield. the young Chief of Police of the town There were words, at first polite
 Josning," as is the custom there be- lore q storm; then bitter. insuItino A crowd collected, and suddenly the piood orgy was on. It lasted a minute and half, after which seven detec- tlves and three townsmen. incl1d;no Y. Y. Iesterman, Matewan's mavor lay dead i"asoi'
 It was the signal for YArmacod- aon The trial last January. Fab,r,- ary and March, ending in the acquit- tai of Sid Hatfield and fifteen others was but an episode, as was the killing or Hatfield and young Ed Chambers Dy Star Spy" c. E. Lively at Walcb Va. But both events served now' erIully to infame the minds and staaI the determination of both sidae to prepare and arm for the final round
 NOW the United States soldiers arc agaln patrolling the battlefields and until the last of them is cone ,taa anu VIII m 1e be peace. And the second "Tric- lriai IS on-this time the de- tenaants tt are tried not by men froro @ sneir own county, Mingo. but iron, o.rahge county, Pocahontas Tho t.;aI anu US outcome will have sioni6 eant sd bearing on the future course nc k sae ng nnldnlng war. It is being watcbad " ooV,oU0 union miners thruout tha SIouhtry, and, indeed, bv oroan;Sad aapor as whole, it is watchad hs, capital as whole. eu Dy
 everything indicates that both sides nave. only begun to fight"
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