The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-09-09

Continued From Page One)
under investigation exist today il
an intensified form, it is informing
to read from the report of Senate
Kenyon the following extract:
1T is well to inquire as to
the reasons for such deplOrable
conditions. Many things appear
on the surface which might be
deemed causes, but they are
only surface indications of
deeper trouble. A reading of
the record will lead one to the
belief that there were many
causes for the conditions ex-
listing.
Among them might be re-
lated the employment of mine
guards, high prices charged the
miners at company stores, mine
guards acting as deputy sher-
ifs, post offices located in
company stores, private roads
to the schools and stores, no
opportunity to purchase homes,
cemeteries upon cOmpany
grounds, attempts to unionize
the miners, alien ownership of
large tracts of land-in one in
stance 21.0O0 acres. All of
these various things appearing
in the testimony might be cited
as causes leading up to the
conditions which the committee
investigated. However, it is
the opinion of some of the
committee that the cause of all
this trouble is deeper and more
fundamental. The basic cause
is the private ownership of
great public necessities, such as
coal; this coupled with human
greed, incident to such owner
ship, has brought about the de-
lorable and un-American con-
ditions in the West Virginia
coal fields under investiga-
ton"
In relation to the hired gun me-
who have brought the administra
ton of law in West Virginia t
the point of absolute collapse an
whose most recent activities hav
been brutal and lawless beyond de
scription, Senator MARITIME reported
I'm no spirit of malice or
hatred, but with view that
the country, through knowledge
of the true conditions, may
right the wrong, / charge that
the hiring of armed bodies of
men by private mine owners
and other corporations and the
use of steel armOred trains,
machine guns, and blOOdhOunds
on defenseless men, women, and
children is but a little way re-
moved from barbarism."
The 1914 Senatorial committe
found complete breakdown of civ
law and in depicting the lengths t
which coal mine autocracy was car
ried officially reported that dur
ing the period of martial law tn
court martial before which often
ders were tried deemed itsel
bound only by the orders of tn
in chief, the governo
Of the state, and in no sense boun
to observe the constitution of tn
United States or the statutes O
West Virginia relative to the tria
and punishment of parties charge
with crime" The senators foun
hat during this high-handed reigl
The civil courts were open and hold
ing their regular terms. 1t ais
was found that the court MARTA
punishments unknown t.
he statutes or in excess of tn
provided for such of
lenses under the laws of tn
state"
The report of the most recen
senatorial committee has not BEEF
printed and l understand is not t.
De for reasons of which | am un
aware. 1t is a fact, however, tina
his recent investigation strength
ened the findings of the earlier in
Iuiries and sustains every conten
ion as to the conduct of the min
owners of West Virginia and thei
complete disregard for the consti
,ution of the United States and tn
avs of their own state.
The trouble in West Virginia will
lot be cured by forcing men int
submission while allowing contin
lance of the evils against whicl
hey have so desperately protested
join with all Americans in depre
,ating the violence in that state
1ut it is worse than useless to dea
With the surface manifestation
while allowing the deep, underlying
criminality to continu
with and unchecked.
The United States government can
10 a great service by destroying
government by gun-men, by restor
ng civil government interrupted b.
coal mine autocracy and by givinI
% the miners an opportunity to Sc
,ure justice and to be free iron
in enjoying their con
'titutional rights.
Unless the government does thi
t adds to the shameful record an
helps to perpetuate the era of Grim
and brutality.