Newark post., 1921-09-28
THE TROUBLE
WITH MINCO

the attention of the world, to the dis
grace of this country. While the
United States is preparing for an in
ternational conference for the limita-
tion of armaments with the sentiment
of the country sweepingly in favor Of
drastic reduction of standing armies,
civil insurrection in one Of the strong
holds Of pure Anglo-Saxon, native
American stock, demands Federal
action and U. S. troops. Armed
clashes between the miners of Mingo
County and the guards employed by
the coal operators increased until
5000 armed men proposed march on
the Capital of the State.
There has been rioting, fighting,
lives lost and property destroyed in
the Mingo region over period Of
years. The sovereign state of West
Virginia has not handled the situa-
tion, nor appealed effectively to any
of the agencies which might have
lCIG doolSIdIlSS III uSIci IlllIllIlS lilC
causes and arriving at peaceful settle
ment of the coal mining disputes.
That West Virginia should have fail
ed to the extent of permitting the re-
cent civil strife is in contradiction to
the spirit Of the patriots who made
her a state. West Virginia until 1868
did not exist as separate state.
The territory of the present state was
part of Virginia, but when Virginia
through it's government at Richmond,
called for troops to aid the Confeder-
ate army at the beginning Of the Civil
War, the people of what was then
northern Virginia, stood out for the
Union, formed a temporary govern
ment, sent representatives to Wash
ington and became a separate state,
fighting Loyalty with the North to
save the Union.
In Mingo and Logan counties,
where the mining war has been
waged, are parallel mountain ridges
rich in coal and iron, with fertile
valleys between them. Mingo County
borders on Kentucky and is separated
from that state by Big Sandy River.
"Mingo" was a popular name for
tribes of Iriquois Indians who origin
ally inhabited the district. The In
dians left the country as the English
settlers of the Virginia colony moved
west and appropriated more and more
land. In these mountains and valleys
the native Anglo-Saxons have lived
generation after generation, living,
marrying, dying, in the same neigh
borhood. Distorted pride Of race and
local custom makes them hate "fur-
riners" with new ideas and habits,
and energy left from native feuds
and stimulated by plenty of NOON
shine whisky is turned upon the said
"furriners" on the slightest provoca-
ton.
Among such a population the coal
mining operations were developed by
outside capital and management and
to some. extent, outside labor. The in.
evitable flights" ensued. The state
provisions for law and order were
weak in enforcement. The coal oper
ators endeavoring to protect their in
terests, asked to have their guard:
and detectives, the "furrin" EN-
ployees, made deputy sheriffs by th'
State. The State weakly consented
and by so doing lent the States au
thority to agents which it could no
control-to the paid private policemen
of the operators, who were free t.
abuse the laws and the people. No
satisfied with maintaining the "opel
Shop" or merely disregarding tn
Mine Workers Unions, the operator
discharged every man who Joined
Union and ran Union officers an
representatives out of the region. TIL
State gave no redress. The nativ
mountaineers showed as much disre
gard for the laws as the operators Q
the mines.
Both sides are at fault and tn
Federal Committee authorized b
Congree to investigate conditions wi
doubtless balance the evidence an
make recommendation accordingl!
At present the committee has pos
poned the Federal investigation
order to give the West Virginia gran
jury a chance to retrieve some OF TT
laxity of the State by going after a
offenders. That the operators expe'
to gain by this delay is evident
their activities. 1t is of interest to tt
whole country to see that no advan
age or disadvantage to either side
allowed to interfere with bringing b
fore the people full statement OF t
truth