The Washington times., 1921-09-05
Senator'S Favor Going
to West Virginia for
Mine Warfare Inquiry
BY J. BART CAMPBELL,
International News Service.

By J. BART CAMPBELL,
International News Service.
Aroused by the failure of the State
authorities to prevent civil war in the
West Virginia coal fields. members OF
the Senate committee specially ap
pointed to investigate labor disturb,
ances there expressed the opinion to-
day that its investigation ought to be
resumed at once in a determined ef
fort to fix the responsibility for the
sbootings which have already exacted
q startling toll Of many human lives.
Senators Shortridge Republican) Of
California and McKeller Democrat) OF
Tennessee. two Of the committee mem.
bers who are remaining here during
the present Congressional recess, said
they are ready and willing at once to
proceed to the scene Of the warfare
for the purpose Of uncovering the real
cause of It,
! Truth Hard to Get.
I'VE are in the dark as to what has
actually been going on in the West
Virginia coal fields" Shortridge said.
There have been so many conflicting
reports as to what is transpiring there
that It is virtually impossible to estab.
lish from this distance just what i'm.
PEELED a large force Of union miners to
take the law into their own hands"
Senator Walsh of Massachusetts,
was another member who insisted that
the investigation must proceed. Both
Walsh and Mcclellan pointed out that
testimony taken by the committee
here recently showed conclusively that
the non-union miners were not alone
the aggressors. ..s
Senator Sterling Of South Dakota,
also a committee member, alone ex.
pressed doutf as to the wisdom Of the
that Federal troops have taken charge
Of the situation there. As long as the
Federal Government has been com.
PEELED to interfere to bring about peace
by force Of arms. Sterling added, he
would "deprecate" any visit by the
committee at this time to the scene Of
the trouble.
The committee members are await
ing word from Senator Kenyon, Re-
publican. Of Iowa, the chairman. who
is at his summer. home at Sebasco,
that Kenyon IL considering calling the
committee together to discuss the
advisability Of its proceeding at once
to West Virginia, but that he feels he
might not be able to do 30 before Sep
tember 10. the date previously fixed
for its members to foregather at Hunt
ington, w. Va. TO begin o first-hand
investigation Of conditions in the coal
fields Of Mingo and adjacent counties.
Members In ID. c.
It was pointed out that all Of the
COMMITTEES members except Kenyon
are now at Washington, and his re-
turn here would enable him to easily
summon them together and lead them
to West Virginia.
The committee members here are
chary about discussing the West
Virginia situation, or its recent de-
.ence almost entirely upon unofficial
reports. They said that their being
kept in the dark" as to what IL
really the situation in West vir.
ginia made them believe that the
committee should not delay any
longer IN going there in order to es.
tablish the entire truth.
They are aware that strong pres
sure II being brought to bear by
certain Influences said to be closely
associated with the West Virginia
mlne OWNERS 10 prevent tho commit
tee from visiting the scene of war
fare at this time. but Senators
Shortridge, McKellar and Walsh
agreed that nothing should be per.
mitted to stand in the way of the
committee carrying out it's original
intention Of going to West Virginia.
One reason being advanced by
those seeking to persuade the COM
mittee not to go Is that its presence
might influence the trials Of men &C.
'cused of responsibility for the shoot.
tngs prior to the recent outbreak.
Some Of these trials are scheduled
to begin tomorrow and are expected
to last several weeks, unless they
are postponed because Of the existing
situation.
TERRE HAUTE. Ind. Sept. 81
Resolutions adopted by Terre Haute
miners at a mass meeting to protest
against the sending Of Federal troops
to West Virginia, and asking that the
Baldwin-Felts detective agency be ex.
pelfed from the coal field, were for.
warded today to President Harding and
Attorney General Daugherty.
II the Baldwin. .Fats guards are not
removed, II was decided, a delegation |
is to call upon John L. Lewis. presi. |
dent Of the United Mine Workers, ask. |
ing that he call a nationwide strike.
For vi