The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-05-14

kilograms predicting a spread OF
the mountain fighting In the WI.
Hanson coal district to q front
30 miles long unless federal
troops are sent to the region at
once were made in dispatches to
Governors Morgan, of West Vir.
glnia, and Morrow, Of Kentucky,
by Harry Olmstead, acting chair.
man Of the labor committee Of
the Williamson Coal Operators
Association.
washington, May 14.-Major- Cen
eral Read, commandant Of the Fifth
corps area, was instructed TODAY hv
Secretary of War Weeks to send fed
eral troops into Mingo county il the
general deemed the presence OF troops
there necessary to quell the border
disturbance.
The number of troops to 70 was
left to the discretion of General Read.
but Secretary Weeks order was that
all the soldiers necessary to restore
order be moved.
General Read advised that depart
ment yesterday that he" was holding
force In readiness pending instruc-
tions from Washington and advices
from a staff officer sent into Mingo
county to investigate.
The question of sending troops to
quell the disturbance, it was said at
che war department, had been referred
to President Harding yesterday but
Secretary Weeks declined to say
whether any Instructions had como
from the president. ,, ~,
FIRING RESUMED
Pikeville, KY, May IA. Terrific fir
ing from both the Kentucky and West
Virginia sides Of the Tug river along
the section that has been in virtual
state Of war for the last 48 hours was
resumed early today, according to re-
ports from Pike county officers in the
trouble zone.
From the West Virginia side came
word that a number of men whose
names had not been learned we're
killed.
Sheriff W. H. sowders this morning
sent out call to every section Of
the county for deputy sherifs o.
whom he has nearly 30,, to report for
duty along the Kentucky side Of the
Tug river. He said he would make
a final effort to gain control Of the
situation on the Kentucky side.
BATTLE ZONE SPREADS
Williamson, W. Va, May 14.-The
battle in the mountains which has
ragged for two days between sympa-
thizers and opponents Of the United
Mine Workers In the coal district was
resumed today at McCarr and Lynn.
West Virginia, little village near
McCarr. Firing also was reported at
Sprigg.
The battle in the mountains of Min
90 county, w. Va, and Pike county.
Kentucky, along the Tug river. which
has ragged for several days, fierce as 1t
has been, is merely phase of q
greater struggle in which this rich
coal district Is solocked-the Industrial
struggle over the question Of union
tzing or keeping "0pen" the mines.
And that. greater struggle Is being
waged with every known weapon.
Union miners on lockout strike,
as the leaders call it, are evicted from
homes owned by the coal companies
and settle on land leased nearby in
tent colonies. No longer able to trade
at the company commissaries they
subsist on rations shipped in by the
international union.
Acrimonious statements and charges
are launched by supporters Of both
factions. Threats and rumors of
threats are discussed and in virtually
every gathering. Men who have fol-
lowed the situation profess to regard
it as the most serious that has arisen
since the trouble began, not excepting
the Matewan shooting last May 10, in
which ten were slain.
Union men say $500 men are on
lockout strike.
Officials of the coal operators deny
the union statements.
An unconfrmed report was received
at state police headquarters this after
noon that four men had been killed in
the fighting at Lynn, w. Va. Capt.
Brockus, who went to Matewan on a
special train reported by telephone
to Williamson that the firing had died
down between Rail- and Matewan, w.
Va.
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