The Washington herald., 1921-09-03
blue DENIM RANKS
JEER And LAUGH AT.
PEACE 0VERTURES
Miners Are Encamped in
Fields Lovely in Richest
Garb of Summer.
BY HAROLD ID. JACOBS.

ASs SANobSs
WITH THE MINERS IN THE
FIELD. LOGAN COUNTY. BY coU-
RIER TO MADISON. w. Va. Sept
2-west virginIa's civil war seemed
almost at an end early today.
The army OF crusading miners,
perhaps 5000 strong, was preparing
to lay down. or pocke: its arms and
return home when Federal troops
arrived in the battlefield.
The miners are obsessed with the
single idea that the only law under
which they could get a square deal
is that administered at Washington
and they are going on fighting un-
til that law is invoked.
The minute Federal troops come
in here we will throw down our
arms and go home. Until then we
will hight, and fight like hell" a
leader Of the miners told me early
today. We can't trust anybody
now but the United States govern
ment- We were double-crossed by
the State and county authorities
Our own officials are poweriess
without government backing.
Determined 90 Fight
II the regulars don't come in We
will have to settle this ourselves
We will fight the State constabulary
and mine guard thugs until we lick
them or get licked. And before
we're licked. practically every union
miner Of West Virginia will be on
the firing line"
This conversation was punctuated
by the sharp cracking of rifle fire
and the occasional staccato rafting
OF a machine gun. pop-popping
somewhere just beyond the little
wooded hill that was our shelter
from the fire.
The echoes OF the steep hillsides
magnified this desultory firing into
the auditory proportions of a gen.
eral engagement The sniping was
apparently concentrated in a mar
row valley through which runs a
tiny creek. The miners were hid
den by the trees and dense under
growth, which together with the
deep ravines and matted bushes
and vines make this region a SUPER
Argonna
Line Held by 200.
II seems that at this particular
point the shooting had been prac-
tically continuous for three days
The net casualties among the
miners here were two wounded. In
return they say they killed at least
one man and believe they "pinked'
several others.
The line here was held by per-
haps 200 men. They believed twice
their number were opposing them
They were content to hold the pass
for the time being, but were eager
to take part in a general advance
They were more anxious. how
ever. for the appearance of o. d.
and the end of II all.
It is impossible to get a concep-
ton OF what has been happening
in this region without travelling
along the miners lines of COM
munication.
Journey Along Line.
In company with Philip Murray.
vice president OF the United Mine
Workers, and Dick Toney. secre-
tary for the subdistrict, I motored
from Marmee, where the first con-
centration took place the middle OF
the month, to Sharpless, where the
killings which resulted in the
mobilization Of the miners oc-
Cured.
This is a distance Of nearly
seventy miles.
The country was wildly beauti-
full, livid patches OF green from
chestnut. ash and maple. and be-
low. carpeting the meadow lands
of the valleys. the purple of the
iron weed. the rich yellow OF daisy
and goldenrod. and the bright red
of the cardinal flower.
Clusters of Houses
At irregular intervals a cluster OF
houses, a general store or two. and
little patches of corn. and gardens,
bespeak a village. Generally these
cluster about the stark timbers of
n blackened tipple which is the visi-
BILE portion of a mine.
We had barely left Marmet before
We encountered the first outpost Of
the miners. There were about forty
of them. lolling at the roadside.
dressed in the prevailing blue denim
OF the country or the old-fashioned
butternut with four or fve young
chaps in khaki and overseas caps.
Only a few Of them were armed.
These carried nondescript weapons
ranging from an army rife down TO
- caliber target rifles and muskets
Of the civil war.
Hated to Turn Back.
We were halted and Toney in
troduced Murray. One who appear
ed to be their leader said:
We'll. Mr.. Murray. we hope you
amt got no orders for us to turn
back. We're sorry for you if you
have, because we sin't goin' to do
CONTINUED on PAGE TWO.