The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1921-10-28
sCOMNAITEE= CAN'T ACT
uNIILsPRESIDENT REQUESTS

Win The resumption Of the s.-..os
so',, e hearings on West Virginia
on october oath, the American Civil.
Liberties Union urges on President
harding the necessity Of action In
ssead OF mere investigation by the
asaer "a, government, if peace and
e.v' i1nertyn are TO replace civil war
u mat state. The request to the
resident to ask the Senate commit
zee 20 negotiate settlement between
operators and miners il made oy a
committee Of the American Civi. Lib
erties Union, Consisting Of Harry +
Na1d, chairman: Albert DeS::' y,r ard
Foyer N. Baldwin, directors; John 4
fltsh, industrial INVESTIGATOR AMI writ
er; Rose Schneiderman, president Of
the New York Women's Trade Union
League; Norman Thomas. editor of
the World Tomorrow; Prof. Robert
Morse Lovett of the University of
Chicago, and Helen Phelps Stokes of
New York City. The letter to the
President follows:
This organization for MANY
months has been intimately con-
cerned with the issues of free
speech and free assenblase in
West Virginia. The present state
OF conflict between the operators
and the miners in the five south
eln counties of that state is due
directly to the denial of civil 4
rights to the miners by the en-
ploying interests and the officials
whom they control.
This statement. of conditions
is borne out by our own investi-
cations in those counties and by
the testimony of those federal and
state officials who speak without
bias. 1t is furthermore true that
after some years Of struggle the
government Of West Virginia is
pOwerleSs to assure to miners in
these five counties their constitu-
tional right to meet, to speak
freely, and to organize. Armed
gunner in the employ of the op-
orators and public officials under
the influence of the employing in
terests fOrcibly prevent the ex-
ercise of these rights. The state
of West Virginia has repeatedly
demonstrated its inability to give
its citizens protection from these
gunner in the exercise of rights
guaranteed every American by
the federal constitution, and rein
forced by every state constitution
in the Union.
These facts, Mr.. President,
are beyond dispute. The civil
warfare in West Virginia, which
has resulted from this condition,
is today the object of an invcsti-
CATION by special committee of
the United States Senate. 1t is
also the concern Of the federal
government at the moment thru
the presence of federal troops in
West Virginia, called in by the
Governor to maintain order. |
"But we submit that neither
the action of the Senate commit
tee nor the presence of federal
troops will in any way effect
settlement of the issues at stake.
Neither investigation nor military
force will open up five counties to
the exercise of constitutional
rights, nor will they negotiate a
settlement between the striking
miners of Mingo County and the
operators. May we, therefore.
Judge upon you some action which
will bring together the parties to
this conflict in order to arrive at
a settlement which, will insure
peace and civil liberty? Will you
not request the Senate committee
now investigating conditions to
negotiate settlement by getting
together a conference IF miners,
operators and state officials? We
are confident that without coer-
Give legislation the conflict can he
resolved through pressure by the
federal government.
1--WE are constrained to urge
this upon you, Mr.. President,