The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-09-01
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER !, 1891.
The Mingo Instruction.

President HARDING has rightly I'M
derstood his duty to West Virginia
md has struck when the iron was
hot and struck at the right moment.
There never was a clearer case for
Federal Intervention to preserve gov
eminent by law in one of the States
of the Union.
Conditions in the Mingo region
had reached a point where Wash
ington could no longer ignore the
local situation.
1t is proper and desirable that the
exercise of Federal force within State
lines shall not be undertaken pre-
cipitately or without manifest rea-
/ son for military action. Here the
call is peremptory. Disorder, MUIR
DER and defiance of authority have
been followed by actual instruction,
. with ten thousand armed men in
hostile array; an army constantly
increasing in numbers and each day
showing an uglier temper.
AS Tuesdays proclamation points
out, the fourth section Of Article w.
OF the Constitution not only guaran-
tees to every State OF the Union a
republican form OF government and
protection for each State against
foreign invasion; it also guarantees
to each State Federal protection
against domestic violence, on the call
OF the Legislature or the Governor,
as the case may be.
That State Government itself is
helpless TO restore order. West vir-
GINA has no National Guard. It's
consta bulary consists OF two hun
bred men. These and the four or
i've hundred deputy sheriffs of the
Mingo region made up the only pro-
lection Of the affected counties and
me State. No matter what State
iefences West Virginia ought to
cave, she lacks them in fact. So, as
his is a nation and not merely an
association of States, and as the
United States Constitution is ex.
1licit as TO the duty of the Federal
Government upon due application
rom within State lines. the Presi.
lent acts as the Constitution re
Iufres. Unless the insurgents dis
oeree by noon to-day the United
states Government will take charge
If the situation which. West Virginia
/ ands herself unable to control.
This means that the fomenters of
domestic violence and the deflers of
CIV will be facing, after midday OF
he present Thursday, the entire
physical power OF the United States
Government. The measure OF that
,ower Is known to most men; 1t is
presumably known to the leaders OF
he insurrectionist miners move
rent in Mingo, Logan, Mcdowell aud
I Mercer counties. The warning from
Washington Is plain: and we already
rave its echo In the sane advice
which goes to the local instruction.
s~1ries not only from President LEWIS
II the United Mine Workers Of Amer.
! ca at Indianapolis but also from
J headquarters OF the West Virginia
United Mine Workers at Charleston.
: s2th Of these centres OF labor or.
7 saiizatlon ere urging the riotous
nd insurrectionary workers to re
urn to their homes. Both are OF.
'ering to cooperate with Federal au-
hority in the restoration OF peace
md order.
President HARDING, however, has
lone well IL he has declined, as is
exported, a request from President
LEWIS of the United Mine Workers
IL America TO promote or engage in
conference between the operators
md miners for the ascertainment OF
he merits OF the original contro
yersy which has led TO the present
situation. There is no room or time
lust now for conference between the
President OF the United States oil
America and the president of the
( United Mine Workers OF America
With the army OF mine workers In
open rebellion, the thought OF nego
siations between Government au
4 thority and union labor authority
With view to q treaty Of peace Is
ven nigh intolerable 60 healthy
american sentiment. There can be
no issue for compromise or conces
sion or settlement between govern
ment by law and rebellion against
law. President HARDING has In
4 formed MIR. LEWIS that a special
Senate committee will meet at Will
iamson to hear further testimony as