The Mena weekly star., 1921-09-15

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 means because of the Sz1a coal operators guard
 ---.0.IZl- - HE9Els system.
 The worst warfare ragged in 1912 and 1913, which arose from thu union miners efforts to organize the Paint and Cabin Creek districts of Kanawha county. How comparatively mild was the recent fighting may be judged from the casualties in that bloody struggle eight years az.
 Nearly TOO men were killed, of whom about 800 were Baldwin-Felt detectives and 200 deputy sheriffs and armed citizens opposing unionism.
 Since then the United Mine Work CTS of America have made great headway in organizing the West Vir- ginia coal fields, but the richest of all that in Logan county-remains to this day thoroly "open shop" 1t is the bulwark of the coal operators, de- tended, as was seen recently, by an invincible army of anti-union men, private detectives, State troopers and armed citizens. A good many people have been puzzled by the support of supposedly "uninterested" citizens to the coal operators and by the readi- ness of hundreds of inhabitants who. on the face of things, have no part in the controversy between miners and operators, to take up arms and risk their lives in the battle against the union men.
 The answer is simple. Those citi- zens are, for the most part, in lines of trade or profession which are directly or indirectly dependent upon the coal operators. In the forefront of this auxiliary army" are traders whose business has fiourished for years un- der the open-shop rule. They dread l the union as a spectre that will de- prieve them of their prosperity. They dread, above all, strikes, which, they fear, would paralyze trade and indus try in their sections.
 Situation Pregnant With Trouble.
 Strikes, too, afe the main bugaboo of the operators in their determined last stand against unionism. It is the old, old story: At present, with the workers unorganized, the operators are the dictators. With the union tri. umphant in that richest of the coun. try's black diamond" field, the em- ployes would sooner or later be in a position to turn the tables and dictate to the employers.
 That is why the war has been called in these dispatches an Armaoeddor between labor and capital. It nav be proper to state at this juneture that the purpose of these articles is no, to argue the right or wrong of either side, but merely to set down the fun. damental facts and to give the back. ground of the struggle, which is des. tined, before it is settled, to play ar epoch-making part in the sociai-eco. nomlc history of the United States Tor the present military occupation is merely an armed truce.
 The Coal Operators Association. in brief" of many thousand words submitted to the Senate Committee now investigating the Mingo troubles set forth eight main points in supnort of Its own case.
 Briefly summarized, they are:
 First-That to recognize the union m tnis coal field would put the coal industry Tn this section at the mercy or It's competitive fields.
 Second-That it has been reneated. " demonstrated that mine workers when organized, frequently, for inael mary causes, go out on strike. thns interrupting the output of coal and ton. Ne'' VI piouue- ,Inird-The production of coal if all mlners are organized in one union IS put at the mercy of the officers of such union. S VI
 rourth-Strikes cause the failure o1 the producer to fulfill outstandino contracts, resulting in direct loss.
 .Fifth-The United Mine Workers oI America is not a corporation. a parltnership or a legally responsible ehtity. Any contract made with if or with any subdivision thereof ca,,Id not be legally enforced, and no ada quate damages for breach thereof could be recovered. "
 unionism Devitalizing.
 Sixth-The miner, workino undo~ s.l indlVidual contract of his own naAing' has both the incentive to oetrer hls condition by efficient work sHa the sense of responsibility under ms contract, while, once a member of me union, he is made to feel that he m caIl do as he pleases and the oroan zslion Will stand behind him aiI ne wnicn results in lowering of inc ;n m ficiency. D0'es1y ana ef-
 Seyenth-Many mine workers ara uennltely opposed to the union and do noI want to join it. Likewise. manv nv mine owners are opposed to ;t. aa .,,auy nn;as sss4s enat interference by either the tha ,.,'r r;lrh man or the non-union man with tolerated. '"ouiu nov be
 Elghth-The policies and methods