Evening star., 1921-05-15
President Signs Orders for
Two Counties in West
Virginia, Kentucky.
PR0CLAMATIONS HELD UP
BY SUBSEQUENT REPORT
Mine Strike Riots Are Declared
Beyond Control, But Later
Become Less Violent.

froclamationS were prepared and
signed by President Harding late yes
terday declaring a state of martial law
/ in Mingo county. w. Va. and Pike
/ county, Ky, along the Interstate bor-
der, the area affected 10y the coal strike
riots. The proclamations were turned
over TO Secretary of War Weeks to he
issued in his discretion should reports
from the troubled region make such
action necessary.
AT the War Department orders were
prepared Immediately after the signing
Of the proclamation. informing Maj.
Gen. George w. Read. commanding the
5th Corps Area and Fort Benjamin
Harrison, Ind. OF the Presidents ac-
! ton and ordering him TO hold a sufti-
cient number of troops in readiness to
move to make martial law effective
in the area comprehended by the
Presidents proclamation.
Telegram Holds Up Action.
When President Harding decided on
| the drastic action. "A result Of con-
ferences with Secretary Weeks and Sem
ator Sutherland of West VIRGINIA. it
was intended that the procIamations
should be issued Immediately 4 few
minutes after they were signed, how
ever. telegram was received at the
White House from Gov. Morrow of
Kentucky announcing that the situa-
| ton looked better and that state troops
| bad been ordered TO pat.oI the Ken
tucky side of the border
I 1t was this information that caused
! the postponement of the ISSUANCE of
| the proclamations. Afttr another
/ conference with Mr.. Weeks. the
President decided to leave the papers
in the War Secretary's hands and TO
! give him authority TO issue them az
; his discretion. secretary Weeks i'm
mediateiy returned TO the War De-
| par,ment and instructed Maj. Gen.
March TO prepare orders and take the
| necessary steps TO make martial law
! effective should the Iroclamations be
! promulgated
| President Harding was Influenced
in his decision. it was understood. by
his conversation with Senator Su;h-
! erland. The senator took to the
/ White House a number OF appeals
from citizens of West Virginia. de-
claring that the situation was beyond
the control of the state authorities
and that federal aid was necessary.
one telegram from c. Il. Wilson at
Huntington said that the people of
Matewan, w. Va. were being shot
down like rats"
Protest From Railroad.
Earlier in the day Secretary Weeks
had transmitted to the President tel
egrams from the governors of Ken
lucky and West Virginia describing
in detail the situation, and asserting
the need for federal troops. one such
message from Gov. Morgan of West
Virginia forwarded "A protest from
w J. jerks, the general manager of
the Norfolk and Western railroad, de-
clairng that passengers and en-
ployes travelling on the roads trains
were in danger from flying bullets,
that telegraph and telephone wires
were being shot down and could not
be repaired owing to the constant
fusillade, and that passengers were
compelled to take refuge beneath
the seats of the cars to escape injury.
Gov. Morrow's telegram conveying
information that the situation looked
more hopeful, which caused the with
holding of the martial law proclama-
tions. explained that Kentucky state
troops not previously available had
been modified and were being sent
to the Mingo-Pike county border on
the Tug river.
1t was said at the War Depart
meut that the presence of these troops
along the Kentucky bank of the river
would go far toward quieting the sit
uation For the past few days, Army
officers said, rioters on the West Nir-
ginia side, when pressed too closely
by state police and special deputy
sheriffs, had been slipping across the
river to the kentucky side. where
there were not sufficient troops to
capture them.
Martial LAW Defined.
Martial law is the popular name for
what the military authorities desig-
nate as federal aid In domestic dis
II was said At the War
and takes a number of
forms. In all cases, however, the laws
and orders promulgated by the COM
officer In the area occupied
by the federal troops have full force
and effect and take precedence over
all conflicting civil statutes, in which
case he would appoint provost
marshal, and trials of civilians and
military alike would thereafter be
conducted by court martial a,.lsy ..hs
EiiitaTy coGe,
The most notable case of declaration
Of martial law in this country, it was
said at the War Department. was at the
close of the civil war, when a great area
m the south was thus governed. Since
hen it has been invoked at the time of
he railroad strike in Chicago in 1894,
at the San Francisco fire, the Galveston
hood, the Virginia coal mine strike riots
n 1912 and some time later during the
Colorado mine strikes.
No word had been received at the War