The labor world., 1922-09-30
4. | |, ,0'|F|.L. !, ] | !, ] WANTS = ! | !
. FAIR | / Play IN !. !. !.
!: !. W EST VIRGINIA.

| 4 The executive council of the Amer
Tican Federation of Labor, at it's re-
cent Atlantic City meeting. called
upon West Virginia to; be fair in its
treatment Of accused miners before
the court. In a ringing declaration
, it says:
Reaffirming our adherence to and
support of the principles that. the ex-
ecution Of the laws of the land, and
Pthe administration of justice by the
courts. is function that devolves
upon the chosen officials of the peo-
pie, to be performed by them with
out favor or bias, with impartiality
and fairness to every man, and not
subject to usurpation or seizure by
any selfish, predatory or special in
terest;
BE it resolved by the executive
council of the American Federation
of Labor:
First: We condemn and denounce
the industrial feudalisnl, which rep
| resented by the coal producing inter-
ests Of West Virginia, masquerades
behind the prosecution of officials
and mem bers of District No. II, Of
the United Mine Workers of America
in the so-called treason" trials in
progress at Charles Town, w. Va.
We characterize these prosecutions
by"coal interests as an attempt to
destroy the organization of the mine
workers in the coal fields of West
Virginia., intended to drive all labor
unions from the state,~an to tighten
the grip of this entrenched feudal-
ism on control and domination of
government in that state.
Second: We denounce the use in
this prosecution of private funds,
which spokesmen and representatives
of coal interests have admitted from
the witness stand and on other. oc-
casions are being supplied to the
state by the mine owners for this
purpose, and we charge that the sin
lister purpose behind the contribution
of this money is to drive the organ
ization of the mine workers from the
state. and enthrone the mine owners
in complete and undisputed control
Of the economic welfare of the mine
workers and their families.
!. Third: We condemn the presence
as special prosecutors for the state
of attorneys known to represent the
coal producing interests of West Vir-
ginia, and who heretofore have ap-
peared in civil suits and in congress
sional Investigations. in behalf, of
these interests. We express the belief
that these attorneys in their func-
tion as special prosecutors are act
ing for and in behalf Of high finance
and the mine owners whose aim and
purpose are to destroy all semblance
of organized labor in the coal indus
try of West Virginia.
Fourth: We call upon the COVER
nor of the state Of West Virginia,
Ephriam F. Morgan, to remove the
taint of the coal interests from the
prosecution of these cases and to put
this function in the hands of the duly
elected officials of the county where
the trials are in progress.
Fiji tn: We urge upon the people
of Jaff fferson county to uphold and
maintain their traditions for fair
ness and impartiality in the admin
istration of justice. and to guard
against convictions in these cases
deteriorating and degenerating into
a mere automatic process because the
feudal interests Of the coal mining
industry of the state demand it. We
ask these citizens to join in driving
from their midst the sinister inter-
ests that are standing behind the
prosecution Of these cases, and seek
ing the destruction of the miners
organization as a means Of their own
aggrandizeme and profit.
Sixth: We pledge our moral sup
port to the officials and members Of
District No. II, of the United Mine
Workers, who have been indicted on
these charges of treason and conspil
racy, and promise them our active
aid and cooperation to the end that
they shall have fair and impartial
trials and that the selfish and spe-
cial interests seeking the destruction
of their organization shall be driven
Ha11 &1,1iu