Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-06-08

WARRINGTON, June b-Such
conflicting testimony has been
brought out in the West Virginia
treason trials. which have been
dragging along at Charles Town for
weeks. that the general public Is
more mystified than ever as TO the
facts in this great labor conflict. To-
day the average man klows little
about the situation other than that
there has been prolonged contro-
versy between West Virginia miners
and mine operators, that there
have been disorder, lawlessness and
loss of life and property, that con-
ditions approximating civil war have
existed and that It has been neces-
sary TO send in Federal troops TO
restore and TO maintain order.
Growing out of all this have come
almost countless injunction proceed
ings and lawsuits in the courts. and
the indictment of several hundred
miners on treason and murder
charges. Viewed from any angle It
is an ugly mess.
Opinions as TO which side Is right
and which side is wrong are based
largely upon prejudices. Informal
ton and evidence upon which TO
form a conclusion are subject TO the
same bias. 1t is possible however.
to present a background for the
current news from West Virginia.
Thanks TO the investigation con-
Quoted by the senate committee of
which former Senator Kenyon was
chairman, we can get at just what
each side contends for and seeks
to establish as the facts Ia the case.
The contentious OF the operators
! as shown by the record of this in
vestigation have been summarized
as follows; 1.-THE operators have a
constitutional right to operate their
mines on a non-union basis. to sub
stitute the individual contract for
collective bargaining in their rela-
tons with their employees. TO pre-
vent all efforts TO unionize their
employees, TO bar union members
from the mining camps and proper
ties and from counties in which those
from the counties in which those
properties are situated, and 10 re-
fuse to deal directly or indirectly
with the Lclcn. Their employees are
contented and do not desire 10 join
the union. ard therefore, theirs IS
no ccDtToVCrsy between them and
thcic employs.
"Ail the trouble In the noa-unioa
fields has been due 10 the efforts OF
the union to organize the workers
thAreil
"Unicn.zat.Gn means IRE iuent
strikes for imaginary causes. WIN
resultant increased costs of produc-
ton, less of efficiency and higher
prices for coal.
The union has resorted to vio-
--aa .-d 90 49, Iasfrtcffnn ~ nFnn-
eSy in an effort TO intimidate the
| operators and force their employees
to join the union.
Claim Union Is Unlawful
THE United Mine Workers of
| America is an unlawful organization
because il aims, as shown by It's
constitution to appropriate the prop
critics Of the operators.
There is a conspiracy between
the union and the mine and
operators of the Central COMPETE
| tive Field to unioniZe the non-un-
ion fields OF West Virginia in order
to handicap or to destroy the non
union operators as competitors IN
the market which they now reach,
and where by reason of their lower
production costs n greater efh-
I ClCDIy IiCs ~" q
over the unionized Central Com
petitive Field"
Turning from these contentious OF
the operators we have the claims OF
the miners as epitomized by Vice
President Murray, of the union. as
follows: The miners have the con-
s~titutSonal rights of free speech and
free assemblage in which they
should be protected. They nave also
the right of collective bargaining
the right TO join the union and the
right to engage in legitimate trade
union activities. The rights if not
specifically guaranteed by the or
ganized law of the nation are con-
templated by the fundamental guar
antees OF the constitution, and have
the highest sanction of all law, or
ganic or statutory. namely, the ap-
prevail of enlightened public opin-
ion and common practice in all in
dustries in all civilized countries
The problem in West Virginia is
not a question OF unionism versus
non-unionism, but is a question OF
the establishment acceptance and
observance of fundamental princi-
pies and practices which are essen
tai to peace and orderly progress In