The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-06-06

nounced that the non-unlon mines would
be unionized or closed
This decision b. the United Nine
Workers constituted a conspiracy, u was
charged. which became unlawful when
the acts OF the labor leaders 20 suppress
non-union competition failed 10 unionize
the mines and resulted In acts % vio-
lence which caused n restraint OF Inter
state commerce.
Union leaders throughout the proceed
ings asserted that labor unions had been
declared by the Clayton act TO be ex-
empt from prosecution as illegal COM
binations or conspiracies Ia restraint OF
trade" They Insisted that Il was iegit-
mate for them 10 remove non-union COM
petition when possible by strikes aimed
to extend their organization. IL they
had been guilty In 1914 Of an unlawful
conspiracy under the sherman law the
suit against them had been improperly
brought. they asserted. because the coal
operators OF the central competitive Held
had not been joined with them as de-
PENDANTS. although they had been equally
as insistent and active at that time as
the labo- organizations in having all
mines unionized.
The destruction OF min eproperty
during the Arkansas strikes was not due
to a conspiracy. the labor unions In
sisted but was beyond their control,
being an uprising of the entire country
side in protest against depredations
alleged TO have been committed by nom
union workers. and by reports that
women and children had been insulted
and attacked by armed mine guards.
Officers of the United Mine Workers
protested that the strike had not been
called, Endorsed or financed by them.
but was under the jurisdiction OF Dis
trict 81, and that their failure to dis
cipline. union miners participating In the
strike or repudiate alleged unlayful
acts OF their members. ola not make the
national organization liable under the
Sherman law.
Coal Companies' Reply.
The coal companies asserted. that the
national organization, and none of its
branches at no time took any action
to expel. suspend or discipline any of it's
officers or members. although its pa
tional treasury had paid ,the counsel
fees of union members who had con-
fessed their participation in unlawful
acts" when criminally prosecuted. the
fines imposed. and extended union bene-
fits to those imprisoned. This consti-
tuted, the mine owner insisted, a recog-
milton by the United Mine Workers OF
the organization's responsibility for the
acts of its members during the strike.
The Bache-Denman Company and
eight subsidiaries, Ave of them operat-
ing companies. closely allied by corpo-
rate ownership, all located in Prairie
Creek Valley, Ark, had group of
mines il arkansas which had been
operated as union mines until March.
1914. when two of them were closed
temporarily, preparatory to reopening
with non-union labor.
The Coronado mine had a contract
with union labor which did not expire
until the following July, but two days
after one Of the two closed mines
opened with non-union miners in April
the union workmen in the Coronado
mine struck. Disorders and violence inn
mediately followed. compelling all the
mines to close. banner being erected
bearing the inscription This is a
union mans country"
Work was resumed under an injunc-
ton. and there was no further trouble
until the night of July 16, when an
armed mob surrounded the mont union
mines. The mine owners charged that
the rifles and ammunition were pur-
chased by the secretary of District No.
21, upon a check signed by the presi-
dent of the union. At daybreak one
of the mines was attacked, several of
it's employees killed. others driven away,
the mine dynamited and flooded, build
ings destroyed and railroad car loaded
with coal billed for shipment to Louisi-
ana burned.
Attacks upon other mines. including
the Coronado, followed. 1t was not UNI
til October that further attempts. which
also proved unsuccessful. were made to
operate the MINES. In November Fed
I eral troops arrived. In the meantime
the leases of coal companies had been