The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-10-31
WRIT To BLOCK
UN|0N|z|NG Of
I He NJ | n ES
u. s. Court Issues
Injunction in West
Virginia Case

INDIANAPOLIs. oct. 3i.-An in
junction directed at stopping tho
United Mine Workers OF America from
efforts to unioniEe the Williamson
coal field In West virginia. where
miners have been on strike for more
than a year. was issued today by
Federal Judge A. b. Anderson on the
ground that the union was seeking to
restrain trade.
After Judge Andersons announce
ment Of the order. some delay In It's
formal issuance was occasioned by
discussion between court and counsel
as to the exact text OF the order.
The court did not deny the right OF
workers to organization but held the
miners efforts In West Virginia were
In fugtherunce OF conspiracy with
operators In organized union fields to
shut off the competition OF the nom
union mined coal In discussing with
council the text OF the order. Judge
Anderson said ne would not enJoin
peaceful efforts" OF the union to Or
ganize West Virginia.
Further In the discussion the Judge
said:
Il am holding the effort TO unIonize
Wes Virginia Is unlawful In itself be-
cause n In an effort to suppress COM
petition
The Judge also said he would On
Join the check OFF, system OF opera -
tors deducting union dues from miners
wages
Judges Statement.
Judge Anderson. preceding dis
cussion OF the text OF an injunction
against the United Mine Workers or
America. which was asked by the
bOrderland Goa corporation and so
other operators of the West Virginia
field, made a statement In which he
said.
I''Ihc bill AYERS and the proof shows
combination and working arrange
m-nt Ia conspiracy - between the
United Mine Workers OF America and
the coal operators In the sO-called
central competitive field to destroy
what soinc OF the Conspirators call tho
vicious competition OF the West Nir-
riuia mines
Almost all Of the coal produced In
West Virginia II shipped out OF the
state In Interstate commerce and the
business of the plaintiff n shown to
be Interstate. \ conspiracy 10 destroy
such competition is In direct contra
Neutiou OF the sherman antitrust act.
THE bitumiuuus coal fields % the
United States are Already urionized
except "a portion OF Yves; Virginia and
"a small section Of the southwestern
yart OF the country ana an effort TO
unionlzc the West Virginia mines ~
part of an effort to mouupolize all the
coal industry in the United States.
Destroy Competition.
The method agreed upon and
adopted by the couspirators to thus
destroy competition WAS To organize
or uniouize the West Virginia field,
These West Virginia operators desire
20 run their mines on "a non-union
lasis. The effort on the part OF the
defendants TO unionizo these mines
and thus compel the operators to un-
willingly run upon the union basis
would result either In the suppression
Of thus uon-union mining altogether,
o. would put such restrictions on II
us to accomplish the objects Of the
onspiraCy--namcly raise the price OF
the West virginia products 40 that u
oou.d not compete with the Ho-chlled
central competitive field, The at
tempt to do this was continued for
some time hy the usual incidents OF
violence and matters progressed un-
til state Of war existed In West Viz
giniR which the state government was
unable to put down and upon the call
OF the state authorities. the president
- the United States declared martial
law sent federal troops into West Nir-
pinia and restored order
"Thc evidence shows that members
OF the mine workers union purchased
fire arms and ammunition and other
wise financed the violent activities,
The evidence shows that the rcVe-
nuea ~ the mine workers union are
produced from dues and assessments
laid upon the members; that these
dues and assessments are, by an ar
Jrnngcmcnt between the miners or
gnnlzution and the operators taken
from the wages OF the workers by the
operators and paid by them To the
organization OF the mine workers.
This IL the check Off system.
statements made by officers OF the
United Mine Workers show that the
miners organization has sent into
West virginia to carry on this struggle
more than two and a half million dol
.ars
The evidence clearly shows that
the mine operators know-at least
they know now-Ehnt this money thus
contributed by thcm through the
check Off system In used In this un-
(COntinutri ON page twOi