The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-08-31
Stern PROCLAMATION
ISSUED BY PRESIDENT
Commands West Virginia AgitatOrs
to Retire to Home
TIME LIMIT is FIXED )
T., FOR NOON THURSDAY
Unless Prompt Compliance Follows
White House Lets it Be Known
That Martial Law Will Be De-
clarcd and Governors Re-
quest for Troops Needed.

quest for Troops Needed.
Washington, Aug. 31.-President
Harding in proclamation late to-
day, commanded all persons engaged
in "unlawful and insurrectionary pro-
ceedings" in the West Virginia coal
fields to disperse and retire peace
fully to their homes before noon on
Thursday, September 1.
Unless there is prompt compliance,
the administration let it be known
that martial law would be declared
and Governor Morgan's appeal for
federal troops granted.
Meanwhile Brig. Gen. II. II. Band
holtZ, who made preliminary in
vestigation around the Mingo district
Virginia to watch the situation and
advise the war department how the
proclamation was received. In a re-
port made public yesterday at the
White House General Bandholtz eX-
pressed the opinion that the state au-
thorities had made "only feeble at
tempts" to restore order.
The proclamation was issued by the
president after day of conferences
with Secretary Weeks, General Band
holtz and Major General Harbord, as
sistant chief of staff. A West Vir-
ginia delegation, headed by Senator
Sutherland was also in conference
with the president and Secretary
Weeks and strongly urged the i'm
mediate dispatch of troops to the
scene of trouble.
mo Child's Play"
The intimation was given by au-
ministration officials that if troops
were sent there would be an adequate
force and that "there would be no
. child's play"
The text of the presidents procla-
nation follows:
Whereas, the governor of the
state of Vest Virginia has repre-
scnted that domestic violence exists in
said state, which the authorities of
said state are unable to suppress; :;
and,
Whereas, it is provided in the
constitution of the United States that
the United States shall protect each
state in the union, on application to
the legislature, or to the executive
when the Legislature can not be con-
vcned, against domestic violence; and,
Whereas, by the laws OF thc
United States, il pursuance of the
above, it is provided that in all
cases of insurrection in any state
or of obstruction to the laws thereof
it shall be lawful for the president
of the United States, on application
of the legislature of such state or
OF the executive when the legislature
can not be convened, to call forth
the militia of any other state or
states on to employ such part of
the land and naval forces of the
United States as shall be judged nee
essary for the purpose of suppress
sing, such insurrection and causing
the laws to be duly executed; and,
whereas, the legislature of the
state of West Virginia is not now in
session and can not be convened in
Tune to meet the present emergency,
and the executive of said state under
Section q of Article OF the constitu-
ton of the United States and the
laws passed in pursuance thereof,
has made due application to me in
the prerises for such part Of the
military forces of the United States
as may be necessary and adequate to
protect the state of West Virginia
an dthc citizens thereof against the
domestic violence, and enforce the
due execution of the laws and,
,"Whereas, it is required that
whenever it may be necessary in the
JNut5i'SH1 VI lnc pIcSlucnC 10 use
military forces of the United States
for the purpose aforesaid he shall
forthwith by proclamation command
such insurgents to disperse and re-
tire pcaceably to their respective
homes within a limited time;
Official Proclamation
"Now therefore, l, Warren G..
Harding, president of the United
States, 90 hereby make proclamation
and do hereby command all persons
engaged in said unlawful and insur-
rectlonary proceedings to disperse
and retire peaceably to thei rrespec-
tive abodes on or before IL o'clock
noon of the first day of September,
1921, and hereafter abandon said
proceedings and submit themselves
TO the laws and constituted authori-
ties of said state
And | invoke the aid and coopera-
ton of all good citizens thereof to
uphold the laws and preserve public
peace.
"In witness whereof, I have here
unto set my hand and caused the
seal of the United States to be af-
fixed.
While some disquieting reports
reached here during the day from
West Virginia officials, there was ap-
parently a feeling among govern
ment officials that the people com
mandcd by the president to return to
their homeG would do so, and that
Thursday noon yould COZ n ,,o,to,,