Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-06
EY II. G.. OGDEN
Editor Wheeling Intelligencer Gre
publican)

publican)
copyright, 1921, by The Atlanta
Journal)
WHEELING, W. Va, Sept. g.
The present disturbance in certain
mining counties Of West Virginia is
a. phase Of contest that has been
going on for a number of years for
the purpose, on the part of the United
Mine Workers, of organizing the
miners in Logan, Mingo and Mellow
ell counties, and on the part of the
mine operators of resisting such or
ganiZation.
The situation is made acute by
the fact that the miners in Fayette
and Kanawha counties are organized,
and these miners resent bitterly the
methods that have been used to pre-
vent unionization of the mines in the
adjoining counties.
Both sides have been high-handed;
both have been 1awless and both
have committed the gravest crimes
from arson to murder. The mine OPP
orators in Mcdowell, Mingo and Lo-
gan counties control the politics of
those counties, elect the county Of
ticers and name the judges and sher-
ifs. They have fortified themselves
further by the employment of large
number of armed guards who have,
in many cases, been made deputy
sheriffs, and they have used these
guards Unfortunately. Union or
ganizers going into these counties
have been assaulted and union
univ PaoonfI1l
citizens, mistaken for union Or
ganizers, have been many times bru-
tally beaten and run out of these
counties.
Union miners claim that non-union
conditions are maintained by reign
of terror, and, en- the other hand, the
operators claim that their men would
work peaceably and quietly if not
1nterfered with by the outside union
interests. The controversy has gone
into the politics of the state. A can
didate, supported by the mine work.
ers, came within a few votes of Sc
curing the Republican nomination for
governor last year. The situation has
been further complicated by the fall
ure of the legislature and governor
to carry out pledges to abolish the
private mine guard system maintain
ed by the coal operators. The Re-
publican state platform contained a
distinct pledge to that effect and
Governor Morgan sat in the conven-
tion at which the platform was adopt
ed. At the last session Of the 1egisla-
ture a bill forbidding the employ
ment of privately-paid guards as law
officers, designed to wipe out the
odious private mine guard organiza-
lions, was introduced in the state
senate and reported favorably, but
through the powerful influences with
which Governor Morgan was closely
associated, was recommitted, and de-
c1ded in committee. The murder of
Sid Hatfield and Ed Chambers, prison
ers, at the very door of the Mcdowell
county courthouse by men who wore
the badges of deputy sheriffs further
embittered the union miners. They
petltioned Governor Morgan to call
an extra session of the legislature
to enact legislation against the mine
guards. Governor Morgan refused,
and thereupon the present demonstra-
ton followed. Governor Morgan has,
undoubtedly, lost the confidence of
the union miners generally. Unfor-
tunately his campaign for the COVER
norship was largely supported and
financed by rich coal companies. 1t
is very plain that the mine guard
system, as operated in these coal
companies, should be abolished amt
that the laws made by the people
should be enforced by agents chosen
by the people and not by mercenary
h1relings. 1t is probable that if the
control of the situation, maintained
by the coal companies, through their
control of public offices, was ended,
the coal mines would be unionized,
though this would not necessarily