Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-06
NOT "LABOR TROUBLE"
SAYS CHARLESTON EDITOR
BY WALTER ELY CLARK
Editor Charleston, w. va, Mail
(Republicanl

SA NV
BY WALTER ELY CLARK
Editor Charleston, w. va, Mail
(Repub1ican)
CHARLESTON, W. Va, Sept, -
Insurrectionary war has gr1pped the
southwestern coal counties. 1t mas
been difficult from the first to see
any solution but force. This has
not for some time been a LABOR
trouble" 1t has been rebellion
against the government.
The underlying cause of the In
surrection is the non-success or ell
forts to unionize the coal miners OF
Logan and Mingo. counties. When
the efforts of United Mine Worker
organizers were resisted by the
operators, the trouble began. At
fist much violent language was
used on both sides. Later the con-
troversy took the form of physical
violence. Union pickets sought to
intimidate the miners. operators
run the organizers out of the camps.
Agents of the union and their SYM
Dathizers began to destroy property
and the owners retaliated with force.
In the Mingo field, unionization
was partially accomplished. The two
sides to the controversy differ IN
their statements as to just what
workers Joined the union. But those
who did join were dismissed from
the service of the coal companies.
Matters then went from bad to
worse, until military law was put
in force by the state last May. In
spite of all, the Mingo and Logan
mine owners claim they are work
ing up to the limit of their orders
for coal. Miners in union fields, like
those of Kanawha, Boone and
Raleigh counties, are receiving
wages of from ninety cents per hour
upward under contract between the
operators and the United Mine
Workers of America. Owing TO the
business depression and comparative
inactivity in manufacturing through
out the country, the coal business
has been bad this year. Yet all the
mines in the union dis
tricts, as we'll as in Logan and
Mingo, have been working on at
least part time and some of them
on full time. 1t is not true that
the present march Of armed miners
is an incident of unemployment.
Hundreds, if not thousands. of min
ers are participating in the fnsur-
rection who left jobs which they
were employed at full time or such
time as returned them wages of
forty dollars per week up.
Throughout the coal districts.
generally speaking, the restraint of
law is not very strongly felt. In
many settlements the whole popula-
ton is either engaged in the mining
industry or is directly dependent
upon it. In many places, the sher-
pathetic with the miners union and
hostile to non-unionism. In Mingo
county, during the efforts to union
ize, it was found that even where
peace officers were faithful in the
discharge of their duties, juries
could not be obtained who would
be faithful to their oath. 1t is not
difficult to see, under such condi-
lions, how little lawlessness may
grow to large proportions until a
condition is reached in which the
whole force Of the government is
challenged.
A great majority of the miners |
on an armed march across the state
toward Logan and Mingo ten days
ago were employed at the time. A
short time before several hundreds
of them had visited Charleston in a
body, demanding of the governor
that the state constabulary forces
be withdrawn from Mingo county
and martial law lifted. He refused.
Preparations for modifying the min
ers were begun soon after.
What the armed insurrectionists
are fighting for is best Judged by
what they say. The marchers say
that they are going into Mingo coun-
ty for the purpose of Kidding the
county of Baldwin-Felts detectives
or private mine guards, whom they
denounce as thugs, and Of defeating
the purposes of martial law in that
county.
Instruction feeds on itself. Off
GERS of the United States army sent
here for an investigation before de-
Gliding upon a course of action found
the insurrectionists beyond all rea
son. The movement grew under
their very eyes. Mob hysteria
reigned.