The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-11-02
WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 2, 1921.
JUDGE ANDERSoN'S DECISION

5t5 OR months West Virginia has been the untortu-
III nate center Of fight between the United Mine
Workers Of America and operators who have refused
tb alldAy union organization of their miners. Our
ate has suffered because of the defiance OF law and
trder which has accompanied the struggle and our
Governor and other state officials have had 10 pear
storm Of criticism that has been echoed from coast to
Coast Those who have been ignorant Of conditions
H West Virginia have found it easy to look on and
i've vent 10 sarcastic criticism and to offer remedies
that are impossible under the existing circumstances
Ii If the Mmgo County situation had been purely a
local fight and the mines concerned owned by local
{ beople, there is no doubt that with our very
limited state police the whole thing could have been
settled or at least order kept in the affected district
buff the public will take into consideration Inc tact
hat the Williamson coal field operators and the United
Nf;nA Workers Of America were locked in a hight
which was backed on one side by organization that
i he strongest in America. with millions OF dollars to
fLe.n,,n The fight, and on the other side. by large
can;tal interests that would not acknowledge defeat
they would agree that this state and its state officials
have had situation here that nothing short OF federal
action could quell
The real magnitude Of the whole thing has been
emphasized by Federal Judge A. B. Anderson IN his
declaration Of his belief from the hearing just present
"A before him that the whole affair terrific effort
nut forth BY the combined strength Of operators OF
,nonized mines in other states and the United Mime
Workers Of America, to force their only formidable
non-union competitor out Of the field Judge Ander-
don lashes these operators in these words;
III low does this strike the man in the
sreet2" Re asked Here is an organiza-
ton with enormous funds, all Of which are
collectcdby the operators through the check
off The poor old consumer, without
friend IN The world, is MIXED constantly
bv these operators and miners. am going
10 stop this check of now. hesc oper-
ators know that they are furnishing the
snewes Of war for that struggle in West
Virginia"
That an agreement has existed between the coal
operators Of the Central Competitive Field consisting
of Pennsylvania, Ohio Indiana, and Illinois and TIE
United Mine Workers TO unionize the coal mines OF
West Virginia has been matter OF common knowi-
edge among those interested for many years.
It is charged the purpose Of the agreement was to
limit The production Of coal in West Virginia. hat
such purpose has failed is shown by the fact that the
total coal production in 1898 in West Virginia when
the agreement was first made amounted to only oOO-
900 tons, while production for the year l92O reached
the enormous total of 81, 100000 tons
That the doing away with The present method of
collecting dues and assessments from The union miners
would be serious blow to the United Mine Workers
IS admitted by them. The view. however, of some
non-non coal operators that it will destroy the mine
workers organization is not well founded. as the