The Washington times., 1921-02-05

QUIZ IN M|NGO
Mine Workers Chief Says Con-
stitution Is In Discard-Gun-
men In Power.
BY DAVID NJ. CHURCH.
IatersatioaaI News service.

International New. service.
Declaring that "the Constitution
has been kicked into the discard in
West Virginia." Frank Keeney.
president Of District No. II OF the
United Mine Workers Of America,
is here today seeking a Senatorial
investigation Of labor troubles in
the West virginia coal fields.
GOVERNED ny GUNnEN.-
"The time has come for civil gov
ernment 10 be restored In Mingo
county aud other West Virginia
nelds" said Keeney. I'VE want
Senate committee to investigate this
situation. The miners want them to
come into the fields. see conditions
as they are. investigate present and
past troubles. and let the chips fall
where they may" ..
Keeney today conferred with
number OF Senators and laid before
them evidence OF what he termed
1.-The brutal government OF gunmen.
He stated that he had assurances
that resolution would be intro
duced in the Senate shortly authoriz-
ing a complete investigation OF the
wes: Virginia troubles.
"The fact that the troops are in
West Virginia is prima facia evil
dence that civil government has been
destroyed there" said Keeney. I'VE
are tired OF these shooting afrays
and lawlessness, and we can prove
that the blame for these shooting ar
trays can be laid at the door OF the
operators gunmen. We have evidence
10 back up all or our statements, and
we are confident that this evidence
will stand the scrutiny OF any fair
committee.
MINERS ARE DIsARMED.
why. all the miners have been
disarmed by the troops. yet 1t Is
claimed that the miners are doing
some OF the shooting. They say that
some of the troopers have been shot
at as many as forty times. Let me
tell you that those miners are crack
shots, and IL they ever shot at
trooper more than twice he wouldn't
be alive. We are willing for a COM
mittee OF Senators TO decide who Is
doing the shooting.
The Winchester rife and the gun
is the law in West Virginia coal
fields now. and the gunmen aren't
at all backward in telling you so,
either"
Keeney informed Senators today
that the United Mine Workers are
paying monthly benefits to 2,9O6 men.
2.33S women, and 6,71S children In
the West Virginia coal fields. besides
expending $150,0OO monthly for cloth
ing, fuel, and medical attendance.
The cost of the present labor trouble
TO the United Mine Workers has been
more than S1.00O.000, Keeney said,
and he estimated that the coal opera
tors have expended many times that
amount
FIFTY-NINE KILLINGS SINCE JULY.
Forty-seven mine workers have
been killed and at least twelve de-
tectives are known to have been
battles between miners and the
operators agents since last July.
Believe me. you can talk about the
atrocities in Flanders fields and the
atrocities in Belgium, but all the
Huns weren't in the German armies
when they surrendered" said Keeney.
I'VE want civil Government and we
hope to get IL by Senatorial in
vestigation."
The Senate Manufactures Commit
tee, which is holding hearings on the
Calder coal control bill, today took
recognition of the West Virginia
troubles, when labor leaders were
called to testify concerning conditions
there. The difficulties which have
confronted labor organizations in the
West Virginia fields were thus sub
ject of cross-examination by members
of the committee.