Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-03

guard and Baldwin-Felts syste1
the non-union coal mining fielC
Despite any statement that might
be made to the citizenry by the gov
ernor Of the state of West Virginia
evidences of brutal mine guards and
Baldwin Felts agencies can be found
in the non-union territories of West
Virginia. My judgment is that pres
ence of federal troops in the disturbed
sections of the state will result in
immediate quiet being restored. The
men engaged in the present conflict
against tie governors misuse of power
welcome the coming of federal troops.
They believe that their presence in
this field will at least assure them,
their wives and families, protection
from assassination at the hands Of
this armed band of desperadoes.
at is not generally understood, but
26 these citizens engaged in the pres
ent uprising against the Baldwin -Felts
mine guards, and later entered into
an agreement with General Bandholtz
and President Keeney to disperse
peaceably and return to their homes,
with the distinct understanding that
their lives would be protected whilst
following out the terms of the agree
ment.
Acted In Good Faith.
1.-The miners, in good faith. did dis
perse and did return to their homes,
but not quite a hours after they had
returned an armed band, consisting of
members of the state constabulary aid
deputies from Logan county crept into
the town of Sharples in the dead OF
night when the men, women and chill
dren of the community were In their
beds and when those armed ,nugs had
their nights work, they had
killed two members of the United Mime
Workers of America and injured two.
They stealthily crept back to whore
they came from, and despite the fact
that the responsibility for the com
mission of this crime was charged dl-
rectly to the state, yet up to Friday,
so far as | know, the governor of the
state of West Virginia has not even
interested himself in this most delib-
crate killing, which it is alleged mem
Ders of his own state constabulary
committed on August 27.
THE feelings of the citizenry of the !
ntire state were completely outraged |
IS result of the crime, which was |
ommitted in Sharples and resulted III i
complete mobilization of not only the /
orces which had returned to their |
omes under the terms of the original |
greement made with General Band
altz and President Keeney, but in ad-
ition to that force, there came up the
alleys of Lens creek, Little and Big
'oal creek, hundreds of citizens from
every county in the state
o join the citizens of Sharples, Blair
nd all of the other mining towns IN
he neighborhood, in fight for the
BOLTON of this most terrible system
'hich is permitted to be practiced by
he state authorities.
Not All Miners.
'"The general impression that has
cen created by the governor is that
his armed band of men are members
the mine workers. Nothing is fur
Ter from the truth. AS a matter of
lct / discovered that the men who are
n the firing lines, fighting for the
bolition of the guard and the Bald
in Feltz system, consist of miners,
erchants, doctors, ministers of the
ospel, and almost every element Of cit
enship of these communities and
lroughout the state is represented in
le forces that are fighting tor the es-
lblishment of true law and order in
le state.
"'The slogan on the firing line is as
ley gave it to me:
eve fought for America in France,
e came home to find that we in West
irginia are not really and truly in
merica. We have made up our minds
do battle in West Virginia for the
lrpose of returning the state to our
untry' Everywhere you go along
e firing line, all that one will hear
let us win West Virginia back to
nerica.
Hold Governor Responsible.
'"The responsibility for the present
ID state of affairs must of necessity
st upon the governor of this state.
e has been calling for recruits for
e past number of weeks to assist 6
m in suppressing this alleged law t
ssness, but up to date, despite all j,
his pleas, he has not been able to r
lster a sufficient number of citizens t
this great state to make UP cor "
rails guard to go out and defend his b
'licy.
Federal troops are now on their
~ into the state. The citizens of the
eat state of West Virginia who are on a
e fighting front defending their lib a
ties against the onslaughts of men /