The New York herald., 1922-06-25
UNIONS FORM SOVIET
Gompers and Aids Blamed
for Strikers 'Wanton Re-
sort to Butchery.'
WOULD RAISE COAL PRICE
Honnold of Coal Operators
Tells of Grip Miners Hold
on Industry.

Following the massacre OF twenty
five or thirty non-union miners In the
coal field of Illinois by strikers and
their sympathizers. John z. Edgerton,
president of the National Association
of Manufacturers, gave out a state
ment yesterday in which he deplored
the tragedy, expressed his keenest
sympathy for the widows of the VIC
tins and declared that the murder of
the strike breakers was caused in
large measure by the continued de-
nunciations by the president Of the
American Federation OF Labor and his
satellites of all legislatures and courts
end the further statements that laws
and court decisions would not be
obeyed
He added that the mob had vir-
tually set up a Soviet in this country
with it's complete disregard for law
and life and its wanton resort to
butchery.
THE American people have been
greatly shocked by the outragss COM
mitted at Herrin, ILL.," said Mr.. Edger-
ton. But there is no real reason for
surprise that such fiendish acts of ter
rorism have been committed. Men who
were lawfully at work were made cap
tives and shot, even as they attempted
. l.. rT~t.
shot down tied in groups of three or
five, and not even dsinterested persons
were allowed to go to their relief. The
Government has right to shoot prison.
ers seeking to escape, but what right
has any private group to say that 1t
can take captves who shall be punished
as criminals? Have we a supergovern-
ment set up in America?
There can be no support in free
America of the theory that any group
of workers possesses vested rights to
any Jobs and that others who take those
Jobs shall be condemned and punished
as we punish only murderers or desert
ers from the army. If men do not want
TO work themselves they have no right
10 refuse others the right to work at
terms and under conditions acceptable to
them.
Mfsieaders OF Labor Blamed.
Continued denunciations by the pres;-
dent OF the American Federation of
Labor and his satellites. of all Legisla-
lures and courts, and statements that
laws and court decisions would not be
obeyed, must be counted as causes of
ihe Herrin outbreak.
These misleaders give to their fol-
n ft,fA hot 1afx ie. ,hoxrn
the courts and law and order. Believ-
ing themselves above all law and order
they proceed to make their own law and
to enforce by bloodshed their own de-
cisions that no one not carrying men,
bership certificates in their own private
societies can work. Regulations n.
violence by the president of the Ameri-
can Federation of LABOR and his CO.
horts are both insincere and nonsensical
so long as they continue to instill in
their followers the idea that they are
above all laws and court decisions and
cannot be held legally responsible for
their actions. The perpetrators of the
Illinois massacre are more to be pitied
than condemned. for they are the dupe.
OF skillful and unscrupulous distillers of
hate and anarchy and defiance OF oui
laws and cherished institutions.
I'VE have set before us In this ever
dlsgraced town of Herrin. the practical
results OF Bolshevistic population OF
law and order and decency, even as II
has been known in darkest Russia. II
appears that the majority of the men
murdered were killed after they had
surrendered to the mob. Men were told
to flee and the towards shot them In
the backs. The pirates Of old made men
walk the FLANK. but II makes the blood
of nj tffto f1a hnu tn Iva haf
in n great State OF this nation whole
sale private butchery can take place
do not believe for an instant that this
nation will tolerate vendettas OF thia
kind and mob attempts to establish So
Wet dictatorship. To the victims OF
this dictatorship and to the widows and
orphaned children we extend our deep
est sympathy.
THE record of the United Mine Work.
ers in all sections of this country. Ala
bama. West Virginia. Arkansas. Kan
sas. Colorado and elsewhere is one OF
violence and utter disregard OF law.
Its actions are expressions of the union
theory of force which the closed shop
means. The effort OF the United Mine
Workers is to secure nationwide con-
troll OF the coal industry by insisting
that only union members shall be al
lowed to earn a living. The other
unions which advocate this closed shop
policy OF monopoly and exclusion seek
nationwide control of their own indus
tries and therefore support the efforts
of the United Mine Workers. Will
Americas tolerate such a policy?"
Monopoly I'm Coal Mine Labor.
l.. G. Honnold, secretary-treasure OF
the Illinois Coal Operators Association,
said:
THE miners riot may possibly CEN
ter the thought Of the public on the
fact that there does exist an absolute
monopoly in the matter of coal mine
labor in this State.
THE mine In question is a so-called
strip or steam shovel mine in which
the everything earth Is removed by large
revolving steam shovels. The coal thus
uncovered is then loaded directly into
mine cars
"Certiflcated miners are not In conse-
duence required at such times. Tho
operation OF the steam shovels Is done
by members of the steam shoveers'
union. Such additional men ms are re-
aulred for loading the coal. where II Is